


you're slowly taking over me

by BellaSunshine



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Blowjobs, Cashier Louis, Cat Owner Harry, Christmas, Daddy Harry, Dirty Talk, Halloween, Harry calls Louis daddy, Kid Fic, Kinda, Larents, M/M, Mechanic Louis, Misunderstandings, Musician Harry, Papa Louis, Photographer Harry, Student Harry, Student Louis, Styles-Tomlinson babies, Teacher Louis, Tumblr Crush, drinking at parties, i think, i'll add tags with each prompt, larry au, meet cute, off-screen sexy times, rated for language, sex study questions you know, silly boys taking a bit to get their act together, these are all gonna be fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-17
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-04-21 07:17:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 30,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4820219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BellaSunshine/pseuds/BellaSunshine
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of Larry prompts.</p><p>The latest: “it’s the middle of the night and i’m walking home alone in the dark and there’s this guy following me and he’s starting to gain on me and i found this phone booth with a lock on the door and i tried to call my best friend but my hands were shaking so badly i accidentally dialed the wrong number and i don’t even know you but help me”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prompt 1: Pumpkin

**Author's Note:**

> This is a weekly prompt series I'm writing with a friend. Just little things to keep our creative juices flowing. Most of them are under 2,000 words. :)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "i met you at the pumpkin patch and that pumpkin is bigger than you are holy shit don't try to pick it up"

Louis groaned as he rolled over, burying his face in the pillow.

"Shut up," he grumbled at his iPhone, its alarm screeching on the nightstand.

He finally reached over, blindly fumbling for the device until his fingers touched the snooze button, buying himself nine more minutes of-

"Tommo!"

"For fuck's sake," Louis growled, his voice muffled.

"Tommo!" The voice was outside the door now, and Louis was fairly certain he would kill his roommate.

"Tommo-"

"Fuck off!" Louis yelled, lifting his head and glaring at the wall.

"Er, your sister's here," Niall said, peeking into the room. "Something about pumpkins?"

"Christ." Louis pulled the comforter up over his head. "Tell 'er I've died, or ... I dunno, make something up, would you."

"Mate, when's the last time ya saw Lottie? She drove all the way over here-"

Louis fake-cried into the pillow. "OK, OK. Fuck. I'll be out in a few."

The door clicked shut and Louis sighed heavily. He actually had forgotten about going to the pumpkin patch with his sister, who, as Niall so kindly reminded him, he hadn't seen in weeks. Not while he was busy finishing up his dissertation, working two part-time jobs, babysitting for his best mate, and volunteering at the hospital.

By the time he dragged himself into the front room, Lottie was sitting with Niall on the sofa as the Irish lad plucked away on his guitar.

Louis cleared his throat as he entered, quirking a brow. "Need I remind you, Nialler, that my little sister is still in high school?"

"Lou!" Lottie screeched, her face flaming.

"Chill, mate. I'm well aware." Niall winked at her for good measure, and Louis groaned.

"Jesus. Let's go, Lots." He gave her a quick hug before ushering her out the door, but not before flipping off his roommate.

"Mean," Lottie said, smacking her brother's stomach.

"Just lookin' out for ya, love," he replied as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. "How've you been?"

"I had a date last night! His name is Thom and he's bloody fit, oh my god."

"I'm gonna stop you there, darling," he said, chuckling.

"Aw, Lou. I thought having a gay brother would be fun. We could talk about fit blokes and whatnot."

Louis scrunched up his face as he dodged a woman pushing a pram on the path. "You really wanna talk to your brother about boys?"

"Well, I-" She stopped in her tracks, grabbing his arm to halt him. "Oh my fuck."

"Lottie!" Louis half-laughed, still surprised when his sister, whose nappies he used to change, dropped the f-bomb.

She looked at him with wide eyes and poked his arm, nodding up ahead.

Louis followed her gaze and didn't bother to keep his jaw from dropping. "Oh my fuck."

"Still don't wanna talk about boys with me, then?" she asked, nudging him.

The two stood there on the path, looking a block ahead at a man Louis was pretty sure he'd never seen before, because _hello_. He was tall, just the right amount of muscle on his frame, with tattoos lining one arm and his dark hair pulled up into a bun. The black skinny jeans he wore were probably painted on, Louis surmised, because how else would he have managed _that_?

And _oh_.

"He's- got a pumpkin," Louis managed to spit out. "He's at the pumpkin patch."

"Fancy that," Lottie said, looking at her brother, a grin on her face. "Lots of pumpkins. Pumpkins for everyone. Even fit boys who make my brother drool like a drippy tap."

"We should go get a pumpkin," Louis said, starting forward. "Today. Right now. Immediately."

Lottie giggled as she moved to catch up to him.

"Hi!" she chirped when they were within range of Hottie Pumpkin Buyer.

"Oh, hello!" he said, grinning.

And _fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. Dimples._ "Of course," Louis said, earning a side-eye from Lottie and a curious gaze from Mr. Manbun.

"Um, oh. Hi," Louis said, clearing his throat. "Fancy pumpkins?"

_What?_

"They are quite charming, don't you think? All shapes and sizes, like," Tall Drink of Water said in a deep drawl, and Louis thought perhaps it takes one charmer to know another.

"Right, uh." Lottie nudged Louis before casually stepping away.

"I could help you pick one out, if you like. 'm Harry, by the way." He held out a rather large hand adorned with rings and Louis stared at it a beat before taking it.

"Louis," he replied, and their gaze held before Harry broke it long enough to wave at someone over Louis' shoulder.

"You work here, then," Louis said.

"Yeah, 'm a volunteer. Have been since I was a little one. Giving back and all that. I like to help the shelter."

Louis was far too endeared for having just met the guy, but what can you do?

"What about this one?" Louis asked, nudging a medium-sized pumpkin with his foot.

"Hm, what're you gonna do with it, Lou? Do you want to carve it?"

Louis tried not to let Harry's use of his nickname curl itself to sleep in his stomach, but too late.

"Yeah, I reckon. Probably me and my sister," he answered, waving toward Lottie, who was crouching in front of a row of pumpkins.

"Oh, your sister," Harry said, his voice rising. "Um, that's great. Good. I mean... yeah, your sister. I have one of those myself."

"I have five, actually," Louis responded. "And a brother. All younger."

Harry's green eyes widened. "Six siblings? You poor man. Do you need a pumpkin for each?"

Louis couldn't help but grin at the look of pure wonder on Harry's face.

"Nah, I think two or three might do."

Harry turned to pick up the pumpkin Louis had pointed out. "Well, this one might be good for the littler ones. Or we can even go a bit smaller- oh! No! Don't try ... you'll hurt yourself-" His words died in his mouth as he watched Louis struggle to pick up a giant pumpkin, one that weighed a good fifty pounds.

Louis huffed, grunting as he tried to lift it. "It's OK. I've ... got ... it," he panted. "Piece o'cake."

"Lou, I really don't think ... it's like, almost as big as you are-"

Louis straightened, leaving the pumpkin on the ground, and glared at Harry. "That was very rude, Harold. I expected more from you, if I'm honest."

Harry frowned adorably, cradling a pumpkin against his chest, and Louis decided then and there he was halfway in love. "'m sorry. Didn't mean to like ... it was just a stupid ... I say stupid things. Nevermind. Here's this pumpkin. If you really want that one, I can-"

"Stop talking, Harry," Louis said softly, looking at him.

Harry clamped his mouth shut, but not before mumbling another "sorry."

Louis tore his gaze away and looked down at the behemoth at his feet. "Not like I'd be able to carry it back to me flat, anyway. Unless you'd like to do it. You've got ... you know ..." He reached forward and poked Harry's bicep, causing the younger man's cheeks to redden. "It's only a couple blocks away. And I've got, um. Beer, I think. And FIFA, if you'd like."

A slow smile appeared on Harry's face. "I'm off in an hour. Shit at FIFA, though."

"Perfect!" Louis crowed, clapping his hands together. "You can bring it then. I'll take this one, and it looks like Lots has a couple, so we should be set." A pause. "How good are you at carving?"

\---

Two years later, an autumn wedding took place in a pumpkin patch. The letters STYLES-TOMLINSON were carved into every pumpkin lining the aisle.


	2. Prompt 2: Drunk (on you)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I found you passed out in front of my door so I just dragged you into my home and put you on the couch please don’t scream."

Harry collapsed onto the chair with a quiet "oomph" and started sorting through his tips. It was Tuesday night, and Tuesday was a crap shift to work, he knew. No one goes out to eat on Tuesday.

But still, as he counted up the money, he supposed it wasn't too bad a haul.

"Well?" Liam asked, plopping down next to him.

"Sixty-four pounds," Harry replied with a shrug.

"Oh, that's not bad, H. More'n some make 'round here, even on a busy night."

"Must be my natural charm." Harry let a grin slide across his face and Liam chuckled.

"Yeah, probably is, mate. Might be able to get Ben to give you more hours-"

"Oh, god. No," Harry said, cutting his friend off. "Please don't. I only picked up tonight's shift because Gem's birthday is soon and I need the extra cash for her gift. I literally have no time for more hours, not with classes." He paused as he scooped up the bills and shoved them in his wallet. "Maybe during hols, though."

"Well, if you change your mind." Liam stood and clapped Harry's shoulder. "See you tomorrow?"

"I'm in at four, yeah. After I bomb my political theory exam."

Liam made a face. "You'll ace it, mate. Think positive!"

Harry was out the door three minutes later, zipping up his brown suede coat as the brisk wind kicked up. It was his favorite coat, a charity-shop find that he picked up for twenty pounds.

It was just after midnight and Harry loved the city at night, especially as Christmas approached. Lights were already twinkling away in store windows and on lamp posts, and when it snowed, it was pure magic, he thought.

He shoved his hands further into his pockets as he turned a corner. His flat was half a mile from the restaurant and in an old three-story brownstone with a doctor's office on the first floor. Harry moved in a year ago after responding to an ad for a roommate. Jesy was wild, with her hair a different color every week and neon-colored fingernails nearly every day. Harry loved her. She was loud and crude, but had a heart of gold. Once, after he came home from a particularly bad date, she spoon-fed him rocky road ice cream and told him under no circumstance was he to ever go on a date with a bloke she hadn't met yet.

He hadn't been out since. But to be fair, Jesy was never home anymore, practically living with her boyfriend - and Harry was busy with classes and working.

He was humming "White Christmas" as he approached his building. He dug into his back pocket for his keys as he punched in the code to enter the building. After stopping to check the post, he trudged up the creaky wooden stairs and turned on the landing, steps freezing when he saw a lump of a person curled up in front of his door.

"Um." Harry glanced toward Apartment 2A before pressing his ear against the door. "Er, Zayn?" He knocked softly, but heard no sound from inside. "Alright," he mumbled, taking cautious steps forward.

The person turned out to be a guy, wearing a heavy parka, the hood pulled over his head. His arms were crossed across his ribcage and he was snoring softly.

"Hi. Er. Hello?" Harry said, nudging the guy's foot. "Hello. Um, hi. You're, like. This is my flat, so."

The guy only snuffled, but another snore drifted up and Harry sighed.

"Right. Well, it's a bit chilly out here, innit? So let's just, um." Harry reached over the man and unlocked the door, pushing it open. He quietly stepped over the body and into the flat, dropping his keys and the mail on a table. He glanced toward the hallway.

"Jesy?" he called. After a beat, he sighed. "Of course. Fuck."

He moved back to the door and knelt, lightly shaking the guy. "Can you wake up, mate? I'd rather not go to bed with you lying out here. Because I'll open the door in the morning and find you frozen stiff, and that might be a bit messy."

There was a snort, then a mumble, but then nothing.

"Alright, well. Decision time." Harry stood and glanced back at the couch, then down at the stranger. The hall was cold and would only get worse as the night went on. It was an old building and they were lucky to have heat in their flat.

"You've left me no choice, mate," Harry told him as he moved to pick the guy up. "Oh. You're quite small, aren't you? Hm." The stranger weighed barely anything, so Harry held him up easily, carrying him bridal style into the flat. He kicked the door shut with his foot and walked over to the deposit the guy on the couch.

"And you're drunk, oh god." Harry's nose wrinkled as the smell of alcohol wafted out of the guy's parted mouth. Now that Harry was able to get a good look at him, he could see the stranger was quite pretty. Beautiful, even. With long eyelashes that swept across his cheekbones. He wondered what color his eyes were, and what his voice sounded like. And what he looked like beneath the over-sized parka.

"Is this creepy?" Harry asked him as he moved to pull the parka over the guy's head. "I feel like this is creepy. But I swear, I'm only doing it so you'll be more comfortable. There." He folded up the parka and laid it on the coffee table before turning his attention back. Stranger was wearing a lilac jumper, but the collar dipped low enough that Harry could make out some tattooed letters on the guy's prominent collarbone.

"Huh." Harry scratched his head and let his eyes travel the length of the guy's body before he chuckled. "Right, shoes. I'll just..." He moved to pull off the trainers and set them on the floor in front of the couch.

"You need a blanket," Harry said, rolling his eyes as he walked to his bedroom. "And I need to get a grip."

After stretching the blanket over the guy, tucking it around his small frame, he went to the kitchen and got a glass of water and a bottle of paracetamol, placing them on the coffee table.

Then, he scribbled out a note. _"You passed out in front of my door, mate. Please don't freak out. Here's some provisionals - I think you'll need them. Also, help yourself to breakfast."_

Harry passed out in his own bed not even ten minutes later, stripped down to his pants and snuggled under one less blanket.

* * *

"Uh, hi. Sorry. Did I wake you?"

_Oh._

Harry blinked awake slowly.

"Am I dead? Did you kill me and then, like, become my personal angel?" Harry's deep voice drew out.

The heavenly face chuckled. "Nah, mate. Was leavin' you a note of thanks, but I tripped over your bloody shoe and..." His voice trailed off as his eyes raked across Harry's face.

"Time is it, then?" Harry asked groggily.

"Almost seven."

"Did you find breakfast?" Harry pushed himself onto his elbows, really getting a better look at the strange man standing in his bedroom. He was wearing his shoes and parka, and Harry's brows furrowed. "Are you leaving?"

The stranger gaped at him, and Harry saw _blueblueblue_. "Blue," Harry said, chuckling.

"Pardon?"

"Your eyes are blue. And I like your voice. Didn't get to hear it last night, obviously. Or see your eyes."

"Um. That's a bit creepy, mate."

 _I knew it_ , Harry thought. "If we introduce ourselves, does that make it less creepy?"

"Couldn't hurt, I reckon. I'm Louis." He held out his hand and Harry reached for it.

"Harry. Styles. 'm Harry Styles."

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Harry Styles." He was still holding tight to Harry's hand, and the air was charged, their eyes locked.

Louis finally cleared his throat and pulled his hand away. "Right, so. I guess I don't need this anymore." He plucked the piece of paper off the nightstand.

"Heyyyy, I still want to read it," Harry pouted.

Louis grinned, wagging his finger at him. "It says, quote, 'thanks for not leaving me drunk arse on your sodden stoop all bloody night.'"

"It does not," Harry said, reaching for it.

Louis pulled it away quickly and shoved it in his pocket. "Nah, mate. It just said 'thanks.' Anyway, I should go. I've got-"

"Why were you even out there?" Harry interrupted, wanting to keep Louis there and talking. He liked the sound of his voice, OK?

"Oh. Uh, m'mate Zayn? Know him?"

"Yeah, 'course. I mean, not real well since he just moved in like a month ago, but. He wasn't home?"

"Nah. And I really had to wee, so I knocked on your door and no one answered, and that's the last thing I remember until I woke up in a strange flat and found a fat cat staring at me from the table."

"Phoebe!" Harry exclaimed, giggling. "She is very fat, isn't she?"

"What the bloody hell do you feed her?" Louis chuckled, moving his fidgeting hands into his pockets.

"Oh, just, like, normal cat food. But she's very lazy."

An easy silence fell between them and Louis cleared his throat again. "I should-"

"Did you eat yet? I can cook something." Harry threw back the blanket and swung his legs off the bed. Louis' casual glance at his body went unnoticed, even as the taller man stood, stretched and brushed by him. "Pull out the stuff for a fry-up, yeah? I'll be there in a sec."

By the time Harry entered the kitchen, Louis was sitting on the counter, his parka and shoes off again, looking like he always belonged there.

"I have a class this morning," Harry told him as he got to work. "And like, I don't know where you live or whatever, but if you need to stay here until Zayn gets home, you can."

Louis smiled at him, and Harry felt weak in the knees. He didn't know who to thank for depositing this scruffy god at his doorstep.

"That's nice of you, Hazza. But I have class too, so I won't need your couch again."

Harry nodded a little, chewing on his lip. "You could, you know. Um. Need it again. Like, it's just me and my roommate, but she's hardly ever here, so."

"If I didn't know better, I'd think that was an invitation."

Harry didn't even bother to hide the grin as he stared down at the skillet. "Might be it is."

"Well, in that case, you should know the note I was leaving for you also had my phone number on it."

Harry looked at him so quickly, it's a wonder his neck didn't snap. "It did?"

"Hm. I've kinda seen you before? Like, coming and going from the building. I work across the street in the coffee shop. Zayn told me you were his next door neighbor." He was running his fingernail sheepishly across the edge of the counter. "Now _that_ is kind of creepy, innit."

Harry barked out a laugh, then covered his mouth. "Not any creepier than carrying a drunk into my flat at one in the morning."

"Hey, I wasn't ... well, alright, I was. But I promise I'm not normally quite that drunk. I fuckin' bombed my chem exam, mate. Like totally blew it." He made the noise of a explosion, and Harry laughed again. "So I felt it was warranted."

Harry held up his hands. "No complaints from me, mate. I mean, it's not every day I find a fit bloke delivered to my door."

Louis watched him plate some food, and he reached for it as Harry held it out. But before he could grab it, Harry pulled it back. "I'll give this to you on one condition."

Louis lifted a brow. "Hm?"

"Don't be passing out on anyone else's doorstep?"

Louis ducked his head, smiling. "I don't think that'll be a problem, babe."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to C for giving me the prompt!


	3. Prompt 3: You again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I walked in on your ex yelling at you so you grabbed me and kissed me so she’d go away and I’m kind of freaked out I literally just met you last week.”

"Harry?"

"Hm?"

When there was silence, Harry finally looked up to find Zayn's brown eyes on him.

"Zayn?"

"Harry."

Harry smirked. "Alright, I'll play. What are we doing?"

"You tell me. You've been on that same page for the last ten minutes."

Harry glanced at the mythology textbook in his lap. It was true. He had it open to a page about ... Heracles? ... but hell if he could remember anything he'd read.

"Oh." Harry cleared his throat and shoved the old Starbucks receipt into the fold before closing the book.

"What's going on?" Zayn asked, still sketching away, the edge of his right hand covered in remnants of lead.

"I dunno." Harry sighed and sat forward, placing the book on the coffee table.

"Wanna know what I think?"

"You'll tell me anyway," Harry replied, giving him a lopsided smile.

Zayn tapped the pencil on his sketchbook, frowning. "We've been best mates for three years. I think I've earned the right to give you my opinion."

Harry held up his hands in mock surrender. "Never said otherwise. So, tell me, oh wise one. Why was I just reading about, erm, that one Greek dude for ten minutes?"

"I think it's pretty obvious, mate. You're just out of a relationship-"

"A month out," Harry corrected.

"But still, a month out of a relationship. Aside from going to class and work, you're here all the bloody time. You should go out, clear your head."

"I like being here. I was never here before when I was with..." His voice trailed, brows furrowed.

Zayn finally put his book aside and sat forward on the sofa, his knees bumping into Harry's thigh. "You can't even say her name."

"Leigh-Anne," Harry said, but his throat was tight as he spoke it.

"Riiiight," Zayn replied slowly. "You know she's moved on-"

"Zayn." Harry's voice had an edge to it, and even if Zayn pushed him, he'd never get angry at the bloke. Zayn really was his best mate, had been there with him through a lot since they started uni together, fresh-faced and ready to fly.

"I'm just sayin', mate."

"I know she's moved on. She moved on before we broke up, remember?" Harry stood, his back popping, causing Zayn to wince.

"I do remember, yes," Zayn said icily. He'd never forget that night, the phone call from a drunken Harry, crying about having found his girlfriend with her tongue down Aiden fucking Grimshaw's throat.

Harry sighed, picking his book off the table. "Alright, well. I think I'll head to bed. Long day tomorrow and all."

"There's a party at Liam's tomorrow night. Why don't you come?"

Harry hugged the book against his chest and chewed on his bottom lip. "I dunno..."

"I can put out a feeler, make sure she won't be there."

"I'll think about it," Harry said before bending to press a kiss to the top of Zayn's head. "Thanks, mate."

"Anytime, bro."

* * *

"I promise, I triple checked," Zayn told him as they walked up the stairs to Liam's third-floor flat.

Harry adjusted his black blazer, thrown over an old band tee and some black skinny jeans. "I believe you."

Zayn nudged him just as they approached the door, loud music already blaring out through the walls. "Maybe you'll meet someone new, yeah?"

Harry frowned. "Not interested."

"We'll see," Zayn replied before pushing into the flat.

It was crowded, and Harry immediately regretted his well thought-out decision to come. He slid between bodies, losing Zayn almost immediately, and made his way toward the kitchen.

"Hey, Hazza," Louis said, grinning as he spied the younger lad enter the room.

"Hey, man. Louis, right?" Harry responded, holding out his hand.

"Good memory, that." Louis winked at him as he shook his hand. "Friend of Liam's, yeah?"

"Oh, yeah. Um, he's kind of sorta dating my best mate? I dunno. It's a bit weird. What's to drink?"

"Oh, shit. You're Zayn's best mate?" Louis was leading him through the kitchen, heading for the massive stacks of alcohol spread across every available surface. "Pick your poison."

"What're you having?"

Louis looked down into his cup. "I'm not sure, to be honest. Uh, it's like ... some rum concoction. Not bad, really. Wanna sip?"

Harry held his gaze for a moment, green eyes locked on blue, before Louis held up the cup. "I promise I don't have any nasty viruses."

Harry chuckled and took the cup from him, taking a sip. He scrunched up his face and held the cup out. "Nah, think I'll pass on this. Stick with something a little less, er, oh fuck." He stopped speaking so abruptly, his eyes wide and fixed across the room.

"Hazza?" Louis asked, waving a hand in front of Harry's face.

"I, uh. I should go."

"No, don't-"

"Harry!" Leigh-Anne said, her voice shrill above the music and shouty voices.

Harry cringed and Louis' eyes narrowed. He turned to look at the petite brunette as she pushed her way through the crowd.

"Look at you," she cooed, smiling as she shoved Louis aside and moved in front of her ex-boyfriend. "You look quite dapper tonight, love. Special occasion?"

Harry cleared his throat. "I didn't think you'd be here."

The smile on her face faltered a bit. Louis stood off to the side, jaw tense as he took in the scene. He'd noticed Harry's stiff posture, how the glow on his face faded a bit.

"Well, that's rather unlike you, to be so cruel," she said, folding her arms. "I'm quite happy to see you."

"Are you?" Harry asked, genuinely curious.

Leigh-Anne's eyes darted toward Louis when he shifted a bit closer to Harry, who welcomed the calming, gentle nature of his presence.

"Can we go someplace quiet? Have a chat?" she asked Harry.

"I don't think-"

"You never even gave me a chance to explain myself. You just automatically assumed the bloody worst-"

"How would you've explained away your lips being stuck to fucking Aiden's, then?"

"I wasn't even kissing him back!"

"No? Just your tongue was, then? Mind of its own, innit. Amazing. Truly."

"Don't be so crass, Harry. Jesus. Let's go find a-"

"Sorry, I'm with someone," Harry said suddenly, and Louis shifted his gaze to him, breath exhaling in a quick puff that almost sounded like a question.

"Oh, please. You are not. You can't lie to save-"

Harry grabbed Louis then, pulling the shorter man to him and, with an apologetic look that Harry hoped Louis caught, pressed their mouths into a kiss.

"Oh. Oh my God," Leigh-Anne shrieked. "You're... you... oh my God."

Louis drew a hand around the back of Harry's neck, pulling him in, soft lips against dry lips that soon parted. Harry sighed, lifting his large hands to hold Louis' face as he tentatively darted his tongue out, finding Louis' already there.

They didn't see a red-faced Leigh-Anne leave the room in a rush, nor did they see Zayn and Liam come in, jaws dropped and eyes wide.

All they saw was each other behind closed eyelids as they fell into the sensation of their impromptu kiss. It was Harry who broke first, pulling away only slightly, Louis' lips chasing his.

"Oh," Harry whispered, eyes barely opening to take in the face before him, hands still holding on.

"Oh," Louis echoed, fingers tangled into Harry's curls.

"We're wet," Harry said, glancing down, and Louis' eyes widened perceptibly. Then he giggled.

"Sorry, love. My drink got smashed between us."

Harry moved his hands down to Louis' shoulders. "Um. I'm sorry? I mean, I don't think I am, actually. But it's only fair that I apologize and-"

"Don't," Louis said quickly. He held Harry's gaze, hoping to convey just how much he meant it, that he enjoyed the surprise kiss.

Harry's mouth worked a bit as he nibbled on the inside of his cheek, eyes never leaving Louis' face. They raked across his sharp cheekbones, across his freshly kissed lips, then back up to his bluer-than-blue eyes, framed by long eyelashes.

"You wanna go to mine?" Louis asked. "Talk about it?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. Yeah. Um, drinks?"

Louis smiled, the crinkles by his eyes plunging Harry further down into a place he couldn't believe he'd fallen.

"None of that rum shit, though," Harry told him as Louis turned, plucking a bottle of wine and two plastic cups off the counter.

"This'll do," Louis replied, nudging him.

As they passed through the front room, Harry caught Zayn's questioning glance. He shrugged a bit and smiled, following Louis out the door and to the next flat over. Louis handed over the bottle and cups so he could dig out his keys, not noticing how Harry was watching him closely, almost as if he were memorizing the moment.

"So," Louis said, pushing his Vans off as he entered the room.

"So." Harry followed him to the sofa where they promptly sat down next to each other, Louis turning to face him, folding his legs.

"I'm gonna ask something really stupid, but-"

"No, you aren't the first bloke I've kissed," Harry said, chuckling as he uncapped the bottle.

"Oh."

"But you're the first I didn't want to stop kissing."

"Oh."

"Is that ... weird? Like, we literally only spoke a few words to each other in passing before tonight."

"I don't think that's weird," Louis said, watching the red wine splash into his cup. "I thought you were straight, though."

Harry snorted and wagged his finger. "It's the clothes, innit."

"Er, no. It's the girlfriend."

"Ex-girlfriend," Harry said, frowning. "Ex. We broke up last month, in case you hadn't gathered as such."

"Kinda leaned that way a bit. I used to see you two around campus a lot."

"Oh?" Harry looked at him over the rim of his cup. "You saw me, eh?"

Louis rolled his eyes. "Don't flatter yourself. But yeah, I'm not gonna lie. I was a bit gobsmacked when I bumped into you in the lobby last week. Fancy that."

Harry grinned slowly. "Fancy that."

"So ... are you with someone? Like you told her?"

"I think I'd like to be. If that someone is free."

"That someone might be, especially if it means getting kissed like that again."

"Well, then. Someone is about to be massively lucky."

"Someone is really going to appreciate that," Louis whispered, mere inches now separating them.

"Shut up already. Someone's about to kiss me."

Louis didn't even reply, just pressed his mouth to Harry's.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to the lovely C for helping me along!


	4. Prompt 4: Is it me or

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I’m calling to cancel our date because I’m actually in the ER right now, sorry. …I mean, sure, I guess you can come down here, but… okay…"

Harry hummed his own made-up tune as he rummaged through his closet, trying to find the perfect shirt to wear for his date.

"Fuzz," he said, glancing down at the little white furball wrapping herself around his ankles. "Do you think I look better in stripes or polka dots?"

_Meow._

"Thought so. Stripes it is." He pulled out the black and white pinstriped shirt, moving in front of the mirror to hold it up over the black skinny jeans he wore.

_Meow._

"Looks good, then?" Harry asked the cat, who hopped up on the bed and started rolling around.

Harry smirked. "You are useless, Queen Fuzz. Honestly, I should trade you in for a better model."

_Meow._

After a quick shave and splash of cologne, he pulled on the shirt and rolled the sleeves up to the elbows. He peeked outside to see the rain had tapered off, leaving the pavement awash in golden light as the streetlamps came on.

Fuzz followed him out of the bedroom and down the hall, her little paws padding quietly. Harry opened up the refrigerator to make sure he had some beer, just in case Louis wanted to come back for a nightcap.

_Meow._

"Oh, I'm being presumptuous?" Harry questioned as Fuzz twined her way around his legs. He shut the door and knelt to run his hand along her fur. "Maybe I am. It's just our second date, after all. I really like 'im, you know? He's ..." Harry paused, smiling a little. "He's just different."

_Meow._

"In a good way, Fuzz. Calm down."

Harry was just sliding his feet into a pair of boots when his phone buzzed. With one boot on, he scrambled across the room to the coffee table, snatching the phone up on the fourth ring.

"Hallo," he said, breathless.

"Erm, Harry?"

"Louis," Harry replied, smile spreading. "How are you? I'm-"

"Um, not good. I actually have to cancel? Our date. Cancel our date."

Harry's smile quickly dissolved and he sat down on the arm of the sofa. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Louis said with a sigh. "It's just, um. I'm at the ... the A&E, so. Yeah. I'll call you, okay? We'll reschedule."

"Sure, Lou, but I can come-"

"Gotta go, Harry. Sorry again. I'll call you." The line went dead and Harry stared down at the phone.

_Meow._

"I don't know, Fuzz." Harry's voice was tinged with worry. "He hung up before I could find out which A&E he's at."

_Meow._

"Of course I'm going to find him!" Harry said, moving from the sofa. "He might need a friend right now." With the other boot successfully on, Harry grabbed his wallet, phone and keys, bent down to pat Fuzz's head, and stepped through the door. "Don't wait up," Harry told her. He rolled his eyes as he locked the door. "Don't wait up. Yeah, not for the right reasons, bloody hell."

Harry drove two miles to the hospital nearest his flat, knowing it was the closest hospital to Louis' as well. He stepped into the bustling A&E waiting area, glancing around, but not seeing the brown fringe and blue eyes he was hoping to.

"Uh, hi, hello," Harry said, tapping his fingers on the reception desk. "I'm looking for someone? Louis Tomlinson?"

"Are you family?"

"Er, no? Just a ... just a friend. He called and said he was at the A&E, so-"

She gave him the once over, quirked a finely sculpted brow, and started typing on the keyboard. "I'm sorry, love. No Louis Tomlinson listed. No Tomlinsons at all."

"Oh. Well, alright. Thank you." His brow furrowed, he glanced around again as he walked through the room and outside.

"Alright, next stop," he mumbled, going back to his car.

It was the same at the next hospital, and the next, until finally, he dialed Louis' number.

It rang twice before going to voicemail.

 _I've been to three hospitals and you aren't at any of them. Where are you?_ he typed, leaning against the side of his car.

As he was driving to the next, the phone buzzed on the seat next to him. He whipped the car into a parking space and grabbed the device, seeing a new message.

_Are you actually trying to find me?_  
_Really?_  
_Harry ..._

Harry grew suspicious then.

 _"If you didn't want to see me, you could've just said so,"_ Harry responded, saying the words as he typed them, his voice shaking with disappointment. "Thought you were different," he mumbled, but didn't type.

He was on his way back to his flat, a mix of sadness and anger running through his veins, when his phone buzzed again. It wasn't until he was parked in his usual spot that he picked up the phone.

_I'm at the animal hospital. It's on Hertford Rd._

Harry blinked and read it twice more before he calmly started the car back up and drove off, heading three miles to the Enfield Animal Hospital. His mind was racing, because he wasn't sure if Louis was trying to pull one over on him, or if there really was an emergency involving a ... pet?

The parking lot was empty save for two cars, one of them being Louis'. Harry pulled in next to him and sat for a minute, looking ahead at the sign that told him the clinic was open after hours for "animal emergencies."

He found Louis sitting in the colorful waiting area. His back was to Harry, but Harry could see his body shaking from the force of his jiggling leg. It was something that caught Harry's attention the day they met, how Louis was so fidgety.

"Lou?" Harry said softly.

Louis whipped around, his blue eyes wide. "You actually came," he said, getting to his feet. "Harry, you ... why?"

Harry looked toward the reception counter. It was void of people with a sign that simply stated "ring bell for service."

"Thought you might need a friend," Harry told him. "Is ... what's wrong?"

"You'll laugh," Louis said, folding his arms.

"No, no. I won't. Promise." Harry shuffled forward until he was inches away, close enough to touch. "I didn't know you have a pet."

"I don't. Er, it's Lottie's, actually. She's gone to Leeds for the weekend, so I was keeping her dog Roxy, and I went out for a bit. Uh, to the store? To get some wine. For you. But then I came home and Roxy was, erm. Chewing on ... something."

Harry crossed his arms. "Something?"

Louis' face turned red and he coughed out what suspiciously sounded like "'s a dildo."

Harry pressed the tips of his fingers to his mouth and sucked in his lips.

"Harry," Louis said, aggravated because he could tell Harry was trying not to laugh.

"I ... I didn't ..." Harry stammered, holding up his hands.

"But you want to." Louis stared at him for a few seconds before he started laughing, giving Harry permission to laugh, and they sank to the chairs, tears in their eyes.

"Oh, fuck," Harry said, shaking his head. "'m sorry, Lou. I mean ... is she gonna be alright?"

"I don't know. I guess. Wait, are we talking about Roxy or..."

Harry giggled. "Lou."

"She ingested a good bit of it. Um, the rest of it's still in pieces on the floor."

"Have you called Lottie?"

Louis' eyes widened. "No! What the fuck would I say to 'er? 'You've gotta come home because your dumb dog ate your brother's dildo'? Yeah, that'd go over well."

A throat cleared behind them and Louis groaned. Harry patted his knee before standing. "Hello," he said, shooting the doctor a bright smile.

"Hello. Well, I have a good news and bad news," the doctor said as Louis got to his feet.

"Bad news first, always," Harry said, dropping an arm around Louis' waist. "Right, Lou?"

Louis stammered at the contact for a second before he nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Bad news first. Let's have it."

"A piece of the, erm, apparatus, as it were, is lodged in her intestine, I'm afraid. It's not a large piece, so I'm confident it'll pass."

"Oh! There's the good news!" Harry said, beaming. "See? Not so-"

"That was still the bad news," the doctor said.

"Oh. Well."

Louis groaned. "Go on then. What's the rest of it?"

"We'll need to keep her overnight. I've got her on meds to see if we can speed up the process."

"And what if it doesn't work?" Louis asked.

"We'll have to operate to remove it."

Louis groaned. "Lottie is going to kill me. This is how I'm going to die. Over a bloody dog. It was nice while it lasted, Haz. Sorry I won't get to see all those lovely tattoos of yours."

Harry blinked at him, mouth agape.

The doctor cleared his throat again.

"Right, the good news?" Harry asked, tearing his gaze away from Louis.

"Good news, yes. She's out of the woods. No reason to think she won't recover and be back to her old self in no time."

"But you just said you'll have to operate," Louis reminded him.

"No, no. He said he'll have to operate if she doesn't shit the-"

"Harry!" Louis said loudly, slapping a hand over Harry's mouth. Louis laughed as he looked at the doctor. "Soz, mate. This one, no filter. Honestly."

"Well, he's not wrong," the doctor said, amused. "At any rate, you're more than welcome to come back and say goodnight to her before you leave."

"Oh, yes, let's do that!" Harry said excitedly, grabbing Louis' hand. "I love dogs. I'd like to meet her."

Louis was muttering indistinguishable words as they walked down the bright hallway, finally coming to an exam room.

Harry froze in the doorway at the sight in front of him.

"That's Roxy?"

Louis huffed and gently pushed by him, going to the giant St. Bernard lying on the table. Her big tale knocked against the metal as it wagged upon seeing a familiar face.

Harry's eyes were dancing with glee as he approached. "Well, aren't you a big girl," he cooed, laying a hand on Roxy's head. "Hello, Roxy. I'm Harry. Very pleased to meet you, although I do wish it hadn't been under such circumstances." He leaned closer to Roxy's ear. "Those dildos can be a pain in the arse, can't they?"

Louis froze his ministrations on Roxy's ribs before lifting his eyes to look at Harry, who was smirking.

"You're a right bastard, Styles. Oh my god."

Harry shrugged. "'s true, though. Have you ever tried to-"

"Hazza! Fuck, stop talking," Louis said, laughing. "Jesus Christ. Why do I like you so much?"

Harry straightened, dimples popping as he grinned. "Because I'm cute?"

"Ha!" Louis rolled his eyes.

"Admit it. You think I'm cute," Harry said, walking around the table until he was flush against Louis' side.

"I will never," Louis replied, his voice low. "Cute is for little boys, and you definitely are not little."

Harry leaned forward until his lips were against Louis' ear. "No, indeed I am not."

Louis blew out a puff of air. "Well, that's ... that's quite good to know, Hazza."

"I think we should go back to mine, yeah? You need to unwind," Harry told him, dancing his fingers around Louis' shoulder.

Louis turned his head, his eyes darting to Harry's lips. "Solid plan."

"Hm," Harry murmured, closing in to kiss him.

Just as their lips brushed, there was a loud rumble, followed by a foul smell drifting through the air.

"What is that?" Louis asked, tearing his face away from Harry's.

"Oh. Oh, dear." Harry took a step back and grabbed Louis by the arm, pulling him away from the mess. "Um."

Louis covered his mouth. "Oh, fuck me."

The doctor chose that precise moment to step in, laughing a little as he shook his head. "Now, now, lads. None of that funny bus-" He stopped short and looked at the St. Bernard, who was half-sitting on the table, eyes droopy and tongue hanging out.

"Well, looks like someone won't be needing surgery after all. But I'll still be keeping her for observation, especially given her temporary intestinal issue," the doctor said as Roxy's tail swished. A little rubber blob rolled off the table and to Louis' feet.

"Can we go now?" Louis asked through his teeth.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea," Harry said, laughter threatening to spill out again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, C! <3


	5. Prompt 5: Bomb, baby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “I sent a selfie of myself in the tub to the wrong number and you responded back with another selfie. Holy shit you’re really attractive.”

"Youuuuu make me feel...youuuu make me feeeeel..." Harry sang along to Aretha Franklin as he dropped a bath bomb into the water, watching with a dimpled smile when the water exploded into a variety of pinks and golds.

While the tub continued to fill, he lit the candles along its edge and picked up his half-full glass of wine, heading for the kitchen to refill it.

"Like a natural woman," he sang, his deep voice carrying through the flat.

Sinatra came on next, and he bobbed his head to "Lady is a Tramp" as he refilled the glass. The music faded out briefly, signaling the arrival of a text, before it crescendoed up in time for the chorus.

"That's whyyyy the ladyyy is a tramp!" Harry yelled, giggling as he walked down the hall. He set the glass on the edge of the tub and stripped off his tiny black pants.

"Alright, let's give 'er a whirl," he said, rubbing his hands together before stepping into the tepid water.

"Ooo that's nice. Ace. Really lovely. Ten out of ten, Gems, ta." He sank into the fizzy water, wiggling around until he got comfortable.

He picked up his phone, turning the music down a bit before pulling up his messages. The top one was from his sister.

 **Sooooo???? Nice innit?**  
_Lovely, ta. I like how soft the water is._  
**Oh lord. Turnt you into a proper diva haven't I?**  
_Heyyyyy._ (He included a pouty emoji with that one.)

He closed the string of messages and went to the next, this one from his mate Niall, who was trying to talk him into heading to Glasto the following weekend.

**I don't wanna eat this extra ticket!!!!!**

"Might dip it in some Nutella first," Harry said as he typed, laughing.

He snapped a selfie, careful to show some of the pretty water, and tacked it on to a new message to Zayn.

_I bet you'd like these bath bombs! Gem can make you some!_

And see, Harry never gave much thought to how many people might be the doing the exact same thing at any given moment. Never thought about who else might be shagging or dying or being born at the same second someone else was.

But when his phone buzzed half a minute later, and there was a photo of a really attractive boy - man? - staring back at him, he almost dropped his phone in the water.

"Holy shit," he breathed, eyes wide.

The boy - man? - was also in a tub, though there were just plain bubbles around him, and the first thing Harry noticed were the collarbones. They were just ... there. Like a mountain that needed to be scaled and staked and claimed, and _what?_

"What..." Harry grumbled. "Who the fuck... oh my god."

He quickly typed in his reply. "Mate, I think you've sent your pic to the wrong number."

As soon as he hit send, he grinned and typed another message. "Not that I'm complaining, mind."

**Uh, no. You sent me your pic first.**

Harry's brows knit together and he glanced at the number. "Ohhhh fuck me," he groaned.

_Oh. Soz, mate. Was sending to someone else, I thought._  
**Clearly. But I'm also not complaining.....**

Harry blinked slowly as he eyed the message. Michael Bublé was singing about being home and Harry wondered if he should feel more awkward and embarrassed. Instead, he was intrigued, to be sure, but mostly he felt something tugging in his gut, a feeling of anticipation.

The phone buzzed before he could reply and say something witty.

**Btw, what the fuck is in that water?**

Harry laughed out loud, the sound of it echoing off the tiled walls.

_It's a bath bomb. My sister made it. You should try them. Bubbles are so yesterday._  
**I'll have you know my sister gave me these bubbles, thank you very fucking much, mate.**

And then the kicker that nearly made Harry jump out of the water: **You look familiar. Do you live in Shoreditch?**

He swallowed and chewed on his lip as he typed _I can't tell you that. You're a stranger._

Almost immediately, his Facetime lit up with a call, and Harry sat up so fast, water splashed out of the tub.

"Oh, fuck. Oh! Sorry. Uh. Hi?"

"Hello there," Stranger Maybe Not So Strange replied, grinning.

Harry smiled, taking in the crinkles by the stranger's blue eyes. "Um. Hi?"

"Said that, mate. I'm Louis. So, no longer a stranger, am I?"

"No, guess not. 'M Harry. Nice to ... meet you?"

"Your voice is a lot deeper than I expected," Louis told him, his own a bit raspy.

"Your eyes are very blue," Harry replied dumbly.

Louis chuckled, and okay. Harry could fall in love with that smile.

"You live in Shoreditch, don't you? And you take the bus every morning?"

"How did you know that?" Harry asked, squinting.

"Mate, I've sat behind you nearly every morning for the last six months. Not many blokes can pull off a man bun like that."

Harry instinctively reached up to touch the knot at the top of his head. "Oh." Then, "wait, six months? And we've just now met?"

There was a brief pause, with the two of them just looking at each other, before Louis laughed a little. "Um, I spent most of it trying to work out if you were playing for my team."

_Oh._

"Oh." Harry blushed.

"So, are you?"

"Am I what?"

Louis lifted a brow.

"Oh! Oh. Uh, yeah. Yeah. Definitely, one-hundred percent gay. Since I was like twelve and realized Zayn was the-"

"You know Zayn? Malik?"

"You know Zayn?"

"His studio is next door to my office," Louis replied. "What the fuck, Harold?"

"Just Harry," Harry said, brows furrowed. "You're a solicitor, then."

"Well, yeah. No. I mean, I'm just an intern right now. Soon, though."

Harry's face brightened. "Really? That's massive! Way to go, Lou."

Louis smiled softly. "Yeah, thanks. So, Zayn, huh? Are you two-"

"What? No! God, no. No. No. Just best mates, that's all. He's actually seeing someone else. Um."

"Oh. I knew he was seeing someone. That's why I thought... well, it doesn't matter, does it?"

An easy silence fell for a few beats until Louis cleared his throat. "I kind of need to get outta here, so. Give me a minute?"

"Of course," Harry answered, watching as the screen jumped around a bit. There was the sound of water splashing about, a flash of skin that nearly made him lick the screen, and then the sound of a drain opening. Seconds later, a beaming Louis reappeared on screen, the edges of his hair wet and a towel draped around his neck.

"So, Harold. Tell me. Where do you live?"

"Erm."

"I'm not a serial killer, for god's sake!"

"No, I ... this is just a bit weird, innit."

"Bit," Louis replied, and Harry saw movement again before he realized he was now in Louis' bedroom, sitting with Louis on his bed. "Alright, I'll go first. I'm on Hoxton, in a shitty one bed above a patisserie."

"Wait, what? Lou, I'm on Pitfield. Does that patisserie serve lemon-blueberry scones?"

Louis cackled. "Hazza! Mate, every patisserie-"

"No, no. Like, every Monday morning, I'll stop in a patisserie on Hoxton, and Judith, she's the baker, she gives me like a dozen lemon-blueberry scones to drop off at the homeless shelter on my way to class."

Louis stared at him. "Judith gives me apple tarts to deliver to the youth center on Saturday. I coach a footie team there."

Harry didn't even hesitate. "Do you wanna meet?"

"Yes," Louis breathed. "When and where?"

"I'm free tonight."

"Come to mine, then. I've got some of Judith's fudge brownies. And coffee. Or tea. Or-"

"Lou," Harry said, smiling. "I'll bring some wine?"

"And a bath bomb?"

...which is how every Saturday evening turned into Bath Bomb Night at Harry and Louis' shitty studio flat above Judy's Patisserie, and their phones filled up bath-time selfies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, C!!! Love you muchly.


	6. Prompt 6: Hike to my Lou

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "We're hiking and we get stuck in a downpour and Christ is it freezing and why didn't we pack raincoats, and oh no, we need to share a sleeping bag now to regain some body warmth."

"So then I says, I says, 'Nicole, you shouldn't have!', but she kept bugging me and-"

Louis had had enough. He squeezed between two other hikers, begrudgingly muttering an "excuse me, so sorry" as he made his way toward the front of the pack.

"Harry," he said as soon as he reached the lanky figure up front. "Hey, mate."

"Louis!" Harry gave him a dimply grin. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Just then, the shrill voice in the back started cackling, and Harry's eyes widened as he cast a glance over his shoulder.

"That happened," Louis said, eyes narrowed. "Did you dump me with them on purpose? Have I pissed you off?"

"Of course not! Never!"

And see, here's the thing. Louis' pretty sure he probably has pissed Harry off - and quite a bit. There was the one time he put shaving foam inside his black boots that were "really bloody expensive, Lou," and another time he let loose in Harry's bedroom three mice from the biology lab.

Anyway.

"Right. Well, see, you're forgetting that I'm not much of a people person. You, on the other hand, can charm them right off this fucking mountain and-"

"'S not a mountain, Lou," Harry said, smiling as he looked off across the valley.

"Fuck," Louis seethed. "Why are you so goddamn..." He let his voice trail off when Harry's expression fell to one of ... hurt? The wrinkle between his eyes appeared and his bottom lip jutted out a tiny bit.

Louis sighed. "Never mind. It's fine. I'll just..." He waved his hand toward the group that had stopped to take photos of the forest spread out below.

Just then, Nick, the lead guide, clapped his hands. "Alright, party people! Listen up!"

Louis rolled his eyes. Bloody Nick Grimshaw in all his fedora-wearing, checkered-shirt glory. Why was he even out here? He's the last person Louis would have expected to lead a hiking slash camping slash photography expedition, but according to Harry, looks can be deceiving and Nick "enjoys the outdoors so much. It's kind of cool, don't you think?"

Louis took his place next to his group of four, two older women and a young couple who were more interested in each other than their surroundings. He fished around in his knapsack until he found his bottle of lukewarm water.

"She didn't even give me a chance to tell her I broke it," the woman behind him said. "She just assumed Paul was the one. The poor bloke still hasn't ratted me out, bless him."

Louis twisted the cap off his water with a bit more force than necessary, all the while looking ahead to wear Harry was helping a young girl with her camera.

Fucking Harry Styles.

Louis watched as the younger man knelt, looking her square in the eye as he talked to her. She nodded as he spoke to her, pointing at the camera and then drawing her attention toward the landscape. He handed it back to her and she snapped a photo before showing it to him. He grinned and gave her a high five.

Louis huffed, pointedly tearing away his gaze and taking another sip of water.

"You know," the girl - Perrie? Patty? - said, stepping up next to him. "You haven't taken your eyes off that yummy dish since we started this little journey."

"What? Who?" Louis asked.

She nodded up ahead, grinning. "Mr. Hipster Extraordinaire. Honestly, wearing those jeans out here? And that hair!"

"There's nothing wrong with his-" Louis snapped his mouth closed.

She lifted a brow. "Mhmm."

"Tomlinson! Group three!"

"What is it, Grim Reaper," Louis replied, earning a snicker from the couple behind him.

"Lou, be nice," Harry piped up from his spot next to Nick.

"Liam's taking your group. I need you and Harry to head back to base."

"What?" Louis dropped the water back in his knapsack. "Why?"

"Questioning authority, Tomlinson? Never would've guessed you to be the sort," Nick quipped with a lopsided grin. It slipped off his face when he glanced at Harry and found him making a displeased face. Harry had that effect on people.

"Just go, for cryin' out loud," Nick said, waving his hands.

Harry adjusted his pack and nodded at Nick before making his way back toward Louis.

"Are you ill?" Louis asked him.

"No, no," Harry said, shaking his head. "Well, maybe a little. Just, like, um."

"Like, um, what?"

Harry glanced around, but the group was already moving on, taking Shrill Voice and Astute Perrie/Patty and Junior Photographer with it.

"Blisters."

Louis took a step back, his eyes dropping down Harry's long legs before landing on his boots. When he started to speak, to comment on how ridiculous it was that Harry even wore suede boots of all things, Jesus Christ, Harry huffed and turned his back, already walking down the trail. "Save it, Louis."

"What- I- I- wasn't-"

"Yes, you were. You have a comment about everything."

"I do not!"

"Do so."

"Well, is it so bad to be able to hold a conversation?"

Harry tsked, shaking his head as he gingerly walked two steps ahead.

"What was that?" Louis asked.

"What was what?"

"That- that noise you just made." He did his best to recreate it, but it sounded more like a raspberry than anything.

"That was my way of disagreeing with you."

"Right. Because rather than simply say you disagree with someone, you get all passive-aggressive."

"I do not!" Harry said, his voice rising an octave.

Louis smirked. A minute passed with just them walking, leaves crunching underfoot.

"Mate, those shoes-"

"Lou, honestly," Harry said.

"No, I'm not- it's just, you're in pain. At this rate, we'll still be on this trail when the group comes back later."

Harry sighed, pausing in his steps. "Fuck. You're right. I'm an idiot. I can't believe I wore these."

"I didn't call you an idiot," Louis said defensively, a hint of softness in his tone.

Harry moved to sit on the incline lining the path. He groaned with relief as soon as his ass landed on the earth.

"I mean, if the shoe fits," Louis muttered.

Harry started laughing as he twisted the cap off his water. "Fuck you, Loubear."

"Aw, mate. Don't call me that."

"After all the shit you've put me through over the last six years, I believe I can call you anything I want."

Louis put his hands on his hips. "Then what would you call me?"

Harry took a long pull from the bottle, and Louis wasn't watching as his lips wrapped around the opening. _He wasn't._

"I shouldn't say. You might shove me off this mountain."

"It's not a mountain, Harold."

Harry shrugged and pulled a map out of his pack. "We're only about three miles up, I think. We were on the trail for what, two hours?"

"Two hours too long," Louis said, sticking a finger in his ear and wiggling it around. "I think I've gone deaf from that bloody siren you shackled me to."

"Nick did that," Harry replied, still looking at the map. He dug into his bag, his face scrunching up. "Where's my compass?"

"I have one." Louis pulled his knapsack off and knelt to dig through it. "I think."

"Fuck, I gave mine to Lucy," Harry said, rubbing a hand over his face.

"Lucy?" Louis froze his search and looked at Harry.

"The little girl. She was really interested in learning about photographing nature."

"Oh. Right." Louis cleared his throat and started digging again. "Um."

"Lou, please tell me you have your compass."

"No, no. I- it's in here. I swear."

When he'd emptied the knapsack, he sat back on his heels. "Well."

Harry groaned. "Louuuuu. What would you have done if you and your group got separated?"

"Don't take that tone of voice with me, Harold. _We_ got separated, didn't we?"

"Alright, alright. I don't want to keep arguing. Let's just. Go. Let's go."

"Are you alright to walk?"

"Fuck it. We can't sit here for the whole night, can we?"

As they started back down the trail, five minutes passed before Louis started laughing. He stopped, doubling over as the guffaws shook his body.

"'S so funny?" Harry asked, taking the chance to sit down again.

"I just. You're such a fucking hipster, Hazza. 'Where's me compass?' Like, you do realize if you hadn't came up with that bloody rule of no technological devices, we'd have a fucking phone with a compass!"

"Are you really gonna throw that in my face?" Harry asked, frowning. "'S a good rule."

"No, it really, really isn't." He grabbed Harry's arm and tugged. "Now get up. We're running out of daylight."

Ten minutes later, without any warning, the sky opened up and the rain began to fall.

Both men stopped in their tracks, chests heaving and jaws clenched.

"Right. Let's stop here, then," Louis said. He glanced around until he saw a cluster of thick trees that would make a good shelter. "There. We can wait it out there."

"Lou, let's just keep-"

"Hazza, you're in pain. And now we're both bloody soaked. I think there comes a time when a man should admit defeat, and this man is admitting it right now."

He didn't even wait for a reply. He moved off the trail and into the woods, pausing when he saw something even better. There was a mound of rock with an overhang that would easily let them slide beneath. "Hark! What rock over yonder breaks, something, something, Shakespeare," Louis said, glancing back to find Harry grinning dopily.

"That doesn't sound like Shakespeare at all."

"Yeah, well. I never was much for literature."

"I'm aware, Captain, My Captain," Harry retorted, slowly following Louis toward the rocks.

"Admit it, Haz. You liked me in my little shorts, running around all sweaty and-"

"I'm gonna stop you there," Harry said quickly, coughing.

 _Well, that's interesting,_ Louis thought. _Might need to revisit that later._

Louis stooped and walked beneath the rock. "Well, I fit quite nicely. Not sure about a giant like you, though."

Harry answered by dropping to his knees and walking in on them. Then, he pulled the sleeping bag off his back, turned around and wasted no time pulling off his boots.

"Make yourself at home," Louis grumbled.

"Thanks. It is a bit cozy," Harry commented.

"Only you would think so. Christ, now I'm freezing. Fucking hell."

"Isn't it your job to check the weather report before we take these trips?" Harry asked, pulling a granola bar from his backpack.

"Not this week," Louis replied, digging for his own protein bar.

"Aiden's going to kill us. You know that, right?"

"Fuck Aiden," Louis said, ripping open the wrapper on a peanut crunch bar.

"We'll be lucky if we still have jobs next week."

"Oh, are we being paid for this?" Louis asked, chewing. "Last I heard, this was a volunteer job. You know, for man and country."

Harry snorted. His reply died on his lips when he glanced at Louis, watching as rivulets of water ran down the man's cheeks and dropped onto his collarbone.

"You're-" _beautiful,_ he started to say, but Louis had made it clear he wasn't interested. Not in him, anyway.

"I'm?"

"Shaking. Are you really that cold?"

"Yeah, I'm fucking freezing. Gonna pop out the sleeping bag."

"We could, uh. I mean, I'm pretty hot."

Louis looked at him, blue eyes crinkling around the edges. "You've been hanging out with Grim Reaper too long, mate. Getting full of yourself and that."

Harry rolled his eyes, which admittedly, he did a lot where Louis was concerned.

"You know what I mean. Remember that time you called me a human furnace?"

Louis remembered it, alright. Cuddling up against a warm Harry on a snowy night back in the winter when their building lost power for two days.

"You wanna share then? Is that what you're asking?"

"Wasn't really asking," Harry said softly, dropping the empty wrapped back in his pack.

Oh. Well.

"Um, alright. I mean, just for a bit, yeah? Until I warm up. Then I can get in my own. And once the rain dies off, we can start a fire."

"Did you bring a book?"

"Did I bring a book? Harold, you forbade me from bringing my phone, which is my only source of entertainment. Of course I brought reading material."

"Is it porn?"

Louis gasped in mock objection. "Porn! What do you take me for?"

Harry hummed as he unzipped his sleeping bag and opened it up. "Hey, wanna fit yours in mine?"

Louis blinked at him. "You- that _sounds_ like porn."

As Louis spent the next two minutes laughing, Harry bemusedly fit Louis' sleeping bag inside his own, then crawled in, holding it open for Louis.

"No funny business, Hipster Pornstar."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Loubear."

Louis smacked Harry's shoulder as he crawled inside, aligning his slight frame against Harry's lean, lanky one.

"Your feet are cold," Louis said, hissing as Harry's foot nudged his ankle.

"Sorry."

They lay there immobile for a minute before Harry cleared his throat. "Um, Lou?"

"Yeah, Haz."

"Maybe if I, like, um. Hug you? You know, it's- my arm is falling asleep and I need to stretch it out."

"Alright, Hazza," Louis near whispered. "Let me have it."

Harry draped his arm across Louis' middle, surprised when Louis laid his own arm against it.

"Better?" Louis asked, staring out at the rain.

"Yeah. Are you warming up?"

"More than," Louis replied, his thoughts drifting to Harry's solid body against his back. Objectively, he'd always thought Harry was good looking. In fact, if Harry hadn't been his sister's best mate in high school, and therefore off limits, he might have gotten up the courage to pursue the curly-haired lad. Never mind the fact that they were practically living together now, next door to each other and always in each other's back pockets.

"It'd just be weird," Louis said.

There was a pause before Harry responded. "What?"

"This," Louis said, knowing Harry would get it.

"Why would it be weird?"

"For one thing, we've known each other for six years. Lottie would feed me to the wolves."

"Actually," Harry began, clearing his throat. "She, uh, gave me her blessing."

At this, Louis didn't hesitate before he rolled onto his back. The bag tightened around them at the movement. "Gave you her blessing for what exactly?"

Harry's arm had moved so that his hand was resting on Louis' hip. He was trying his hardest not to caress the skin he felt.

"Hazza, what did she say?"

"I've had a crush on you since the day I came home with her and you were sitting in the living room in nothing but your pajama pants. And I hid it fairly well for a long time, you know. I didn't even know I was gay until I realized I had feelings for you. I was bloody sixteen before I realized what it meant. And when I came out to her, the first thing she said was, 'you think I haven't noticed the way you look at Louis?' and, I mean. Like. It just kind of happened."

Louis stared at him, his eyes tracing Harry's face. "Harry."

"'m sorry if that makes things weird. Like, I didn't-"

Louis' lips cut him off, a gentle press that caught him by surprise. He let out a breathy sigh and dug his fingers into Louis' hip then, pulling him closer.

"You're a fucking idiot," Louis said as soon as he pulled away, pressing his forehead to Harry's. "All this bloody time."

"I- I didn't think you were interested?"

"You never gave me a chance, you donut. I thought- well, it doesn't matter, does it? Fuck it." He pressed his lips to Harry's with more urgency this time, sliding his tongue along until Harry let him in.

They separated minutes later with a wet smack.

"It's stopped raining," Louis said.

Harry smiled. "Warm yet?"

"Not at all. Can I crank up the heat a bit more?"

"Whatever it takes, Lou. All yours."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, C!!!


	7. Prompt 7: Picture this

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "We're in the same photography class and I thought I was alone in the darkroom so I've been belting out every song on the radio and you don’t chime in until a duet comes on and I hit (and cut) my head on an enlarger because “holy SHIT how long have you been here?”

Harry hung up the last of his prints in the darkroom before turning the light back on and cleaning up his mess. He was humming the latest Ed Sheeran tune, unable to get it out of his head since last night's concert.

He smiled as he turned the wheel, studying the prints he'd just developed. These were probably his favorite so far, all of them of his sister and her little girl, Matilda. Tilly was a bright, rambunctious and goofy five-year-old, and it shone through in every photo, most of which showed her toothy grin.

He flipped the switch to turn off the "darkroom in use" sign before he slung his bag over his shoulder. Just as he stepped out, he bumped into someone, but the apology slipped off his lips when he saw who.

"Oh, hey, Louis," he said, smiling softly, looking down at the smaller man.

"Harry," Louis replied, giving him a lopsided grin. "All done in there?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah. All done. Um. All yours. Er, the room, I mean. It's all yours."

Louis' grin widened, causing those crinkles by his eyes that Harry may or may not have already memorized. Hey, it's not his fault they put him in a photography class with the little blue-eyed god.

"Thanks, mate."

"My prints are hanging on my wheel, but if they get in your way-"

Louis patted Harry's shoulder as he stepped by, holding open the door. "Sure they're fine, love. See you in a few days, yeah?"

Harry cleared his throat and nodded. "Yeah, 'course. Good luck."

Louis winked at him before letting the steel door bang shut. Harry sighed and fell back against the wall, rolling his eyes.

"All yours. Really? God. I'm such an idiot."

"Not gonna argue with that," Niall said as he approached from down the hall. "I take it ya saw the arse you've been lusting after since the dawn of time."

Harry pushed off the wall and joined Niall as the two walked away. "No comment. You get your photos done?"

"Yeah. Not worth a shit, mate. Fuckin' overexposed. I'm going to come back tomorrow and try again. You?"

Harry smiled, thinking back to the photo of Tilly holding a dandelion up against her nose, her eyes crossed as she looked at it. "Think I'm good."

Niall tsked. "Of course ya are. Always have been. Bloody Harry Styles can't do anything wrong, can he?"

"Heyyyy." Harry pouted. "Remember the first week in class when I spilled that whole bottle of stop bath? And then the second week when-"

"You walked in on Zayn and Liam fuckin' in the darkroom?"

Harry groaned. "Well, besides that. God, and just when I'd wiped the image from my brain." Harry pressed his fingers to his temples. "Thanks."

Niall slung his arm around Harry's shoulders. "You know what ya need?"

"I can think of something," Harry muttered. His name starts with "L" and ends with "s."

"What's the assignment this week?"

"Human form," Harry said. "Weren't you paying attention?"

"Did ya see the fuckin' dress Jade was wearin'?"

"Er, no?"

"Oh, right. You're more interested in Tommo's jeggings. Pardon me." He twirled his finger in the air. "Anyway, you need a good model, and what better model than-"

"No. Absolutely not."

"You don't even know-"

"I do, and I'm not going to ask Louis to model for me. Jesus Christ, Ni. Not like he'd say yes, anyway. He's in demand, you know."

'By who?" Niall laughed, slapping Harry's shoulder before removing his arm and moving to sit beneath their usual tree in the campus square. He wasted no time pulling his lunch from his bag, promptly pulling it away when Harry reached for a crisp. "Mine. Get your own."

Harry pouted. "Anyway," he said pointedly. "I was actually going to photograph the swim team. That's good human form, innit?"

Niall shrugged. "S'pose it is."

"Alright. What are you going to photograph, then? And don't you dare say-"

"Hadn't given it much thought, actually."

"Niall, this is why you're failing the class."

"There aren't even any marks, you nerd. It's just for fun."

"Maybe for you. It's more than that for me."

"Yeah, I know, Haz," Niall said, nudging him. "Anyway, you should ask Tommo. He might surprise you."

"He does have good form, doesn't he," Harry commented, staring toward the arts building.

* * *

He couldn't do it.

He chickened out, because Harry Styles is a chicken, a fact that Niall relentlessly teased him about.

"This is why you haven't had dick in years!" he bellowed, causing Harry to shove him.

"'s not been that long," Harry replied, frowning. Has it? No.

"Alright. Months, then."

"You know how I feel about casual sex, Ni," Harry said as they walked toward the arts building.

"You're a disgrace to every male our age," Niall told him, his eyes already zeroing in on Jade, where she stood in a circle in the hall with some other photography students.

Harry would never admit to letting his eyes sweep across the class as they entered. Louis was nowhere to be seen, but to be fair, he usually made an entrance ten minutes late.

Except twenty minutes in, Louis was still absent, and Harry was tapping his pencil on his desk in mild distress.

"Stop it," Zayn hissed at him from his table behind Harry.

Harry lifted a hand and flipped him off, causing Niall to cackle.

"Alright, let's have a look at last week's work," the instructor said. "Black and white candid. Who wants to go first?"

Harry, as always, raised his hand. At this point, no one else bothered. It was no secret Harry was the best photographer in the group. No one begrudged him for it. In fact, they looked forward to seeing his photos every week.

"...and this is Tilly being Tilly," Harry said, dimples on display as his niece's smile lit up the screen. There were several murmurs of appreciation that quickly turned to laughter when a photo appeared of Niall mooning a statue in town.

Niall sputtered, his face turning red.

"Sorry, sorry. I have no idea how that got on my card," Harry said, grinning.

The class erupted into applause as soon as Harry was done. He blushed and did a little bow before walking back to his table.

"You gigantic piece of shit," Niall said through gritted teeth.

Harry shrugged, turning his attention to the next presentation.

After receiving their next assignment - city life - they all went their separate ways. For Harry, that meant the darkroom. He always went right after class to work on the previous assignment while thinking about the next one. He walked down the hall until he found a darkroom that wasn't in use and slipped inside. He turned on the light long enough to make sure the place was at least workable before turning on the safelight and turning off the overhead, plunging the room into redness.

Once he had some negatives on the lightbox, he pushed play on his phone and started humming softly as Adele crooned about lost love.

"Never mind I'll find, someone like youuuuuuu...." he sang softly, sticking a strip of negatives in the enlarger.

He got through two of her songs before he decided on a change, switching over to Coldplay.

"Look at the stars, look how they shine for you, and everything you do, yeah they were all-"

"Yelloooow," a raspy voice rang out.

Harry jerked up so fast his head hit the enlarger. "Ow! Fuck! What-"

There was soft laughter and the shuffling of feet before Louis appeared, awash in red and the crinkles at his eyes.

"Louis," Harry whispered. "What- I didn't-"

"You alright?" Louis asked, pushing up on his tiptoes a bit to look at Harry's forehead. "Doesn't look like you cut it."

"No, it's. Fine. It's fine," Harry mumbled. "Um. The sign was off, I didn't-"

"I was asleep," Louis replied. "Sorry I startled you. Sure it's fine?"

"Yeah, yeah." Harry laughed, waving a hand. "Why were you sleeping in a darkroom?"

"Long night studying, and it's quiet here. I had a ten o'clock lab and then came here intending to go to class, but I was literally asleep on me feet, so. Anyway, you, uh. You have a lovely singing voice."

Harry ducked his head, smiling. "Um, thanks? No one's ever told me that before."

"Pity that. What are you working on?"

"Oh, the human form. I kind of photographed the swim team?"

"Really? Can I see?"

"Er, I guess? I mean, they're probably all shit. I like candids a lot more."

"Please, Harold. You're like the bloody star of the photography department." Louis leaned closed as Harry dropped the paper into the developer and began swishing it around. They watched as a shot of a lithe body came to life, curling as it soared off a diving board, but really, all Harry could think about was how close Louis was, and how he smelled like a mixture of autumn mornings and summer nights.

"Jesus," Louis breathed. "Why are you even in this class?"

"I don't know. I like photos?"

"Obviously. But you're miles ahead of the rest of us."

Harry shrugged. "'m not. I just, like, it's more than a hobby, you know?"

"Is this what you wanna do, then? Like proper career and all that."

"I- maybe? Still trying to decide." He moved to the next tray, placing the photo in the stop bath. "What about you, Lou?"

"What about me?"

"Are you doing this for fun or?"

"Oh, well. Kind of, I guess. I needed to fulfill an arts requirement and it was either this or ballroom dancing, which. I can't even imagine all the ways that would go wrong."

Harry laughed, picking the photo out of the tray and moving to the next one. "Well, your photos aren't that bad. Better than most of them in there."

Louis gasped, raising a hand to his chest. "What's this? The great Harold Styles, future iconic photographer, is paying little ol' me a compliment?"

Harry was sure his face was beet red. He ducked his head. "Stop."

Louis nudged him. "But thanks, mate. Means a lot."

"I mean, we could like, go on shoots together," Harry said without thinking. "If you want."

He chanced a glance at Louis, who lifted his eyes from the fixer tray to meet Harry's gaze. "Yeah, that- that would be ace, Hazza. I'd love to."

"Could even sing, if we want. Maybe we could become a proper duo, like Simon and Garfunkel."

"Nah. I'm thinkin' more like Stevie and Lindsey."

Harry giggled, turning back to the enlarger. "So, our next assignment is city life. Like-"

"Let's make it a date, yeah? Take our cameras and get some dinner, or coffee, and just wander around London," Louis said.

"You won't fall asleep while we're developing, will you?"

There was a pause, and Louis grinned. "Are we still talking about photos?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks, as always, to C for helping and inspiring!
> 
> And thanks to you for reading :)


	8. Prompt 8: Waluigi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I beat you at Mario Kart and now I've been banished to the couch for the night"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel like I should mention that in this one, Harry calls Louis "daddy," but there is no smut. Anyway... if the use of "daddy" isn't your thing, you should skip. :)

"Again? Lou, c'mon."

"Lou."

"Louis."

"Waluigi!"

"Fuck! Harry, just ... what?"

Harry smirked at his boyfriend and crossed his arms. "For the sixth time, I asked if you want sushi for dinner. If you can keep yourself away from the bloody game long enough."

Louis' tongue poked out of the corner of his mouth as he scrolled through the vehicles. "I can't remember if I've tried the hang glider yet. I wonder-"

"Lou! For fuck's sake." Harry sighed heavily and rubbed his hands over his face. "Forget it. I'll order sushi."

"Thanks, babe," Louis said, causing Harry to roll his eyes as he walked away.

"Never should've gotten him that fucking game," Harry said as he scrolled through his contacts.

"I heard that!"

"Wow, that's a surprise," Harry replied loudly. "Given how you've been ignoring me for two days now."

When there was silence, he shook his head, finally finding the sushi place in his contacts.

"Get some beer while you're out!" Louis yelled.

"It's being delivered, you twat," Harry answered as the phone rang on the line.

Not even five seconds later, Louis appeared in the doorway. "You seriously ... you called me a twat?"

"Um, hello?" the lady on the phone said. "You've reached Dragon Sushi Bar. May I help you?"

Harry's grin spread slowly. He looked at Louis as he spoke. "I'd like to order the spiciest thing you've got. Just mix it up in the box with some California rolls. Like a surprise!” His face lit up even more. “Can you do that?"

"Sir?"

Louis narrowed his eyes. "You wouldn't."

"Also, in a separate box, can I get some avocado rolls? Oh! Also, an order of Sugar Daddy. I like those. Time for me to branch out, I think,” he said with a smirk, looking straight at Louis.

"You fucking joke!" Louis stalked to him, who held out his palm, pushing against Louis' chest.

"Uh, sure," the lady said. "Is that all?"

"Yep."

While Harry rattled off his card number and address, Louis was trying to reach for the phone, yelling obscenities that made Harry apologize profusely before he finally disconnected.

"You're such an arsehole," Louis huffed. "How d'ya know that spicy shit won't kill me?"

"Lou, you literally once ate a teaspoon of wasabi as a dare."

Louis crossed his arms. "Well, people change, you know. That was years ago. Maybe my body can't handle that stuff anymore."

Harry rolled his eyes - again - and shook his head. "Guess you'll find out, won't you."

"All because I've been playing that bloody game, which, might I remind you, I didn't ask you to buy me."

"And I regret it immensely," Harry replied, leading Louis into the living room. "You've spent the whole weekend on it."

"Come on! You've seen how competitive Niall is. I can't let him beat me again. I refuse to."

"Hm." Harry sat down on the couch, looking at the paused screen where Louis was in the middle of setting up his game. "So, Waluigi."

"Princess."

Harry snorted. "That was once."

"In the game, maybe."

Harry barked out a laugh and smacked Louis' arm. "You're such a brat."

"I have an idea," Louis said, picking up the controller. He reached for the other one and held it out. "If I win, I get to keep playing without interruption."

"I can't let you do that, Lou. You're twenty-four years old. You've got a job, and classes, and-"

"OK, OK. I get to play without interruption when I'm not working or ... classing."

"And if I win?"

"I'll eat the whole box of whatever spicy shit they've given us."

Harry's brow quirked. "Really? That's it?"

"That's it."

"You know, for a guy who wants to be a lawyer, you're shit at negotiating."

Louis gasped. "Take that back!"

"Are we gonna play or what? The food will be here soon."

It took Harry all of a minute to set up his ride - Princess on a four-wheeler, which earned a "fucking knew it" and "you're so predictable" from Louis.

Louis, on the other hand, went through the whole set of characters (he still picked Waluigi) and vehicles (he settled on the motorbike after two minutes of contemplation).

"Rainbow Road? Two out of three?" Harry asked.

Louis scrolled through all the courses before he came back to Rainbow Road. "Fine, whatever. I'll pick the next one."

"You do that," Harry replied, burrowing himself into a comfortable position.

Playing any game with Louis was an adventure, but when there was something other than his ego on the line? He turned into an energetic machine of vulgar sentences.

"Fuck! Shit! I did that good!" he yelled, winning their first race.

Harry couldn't understand why he was in love with him.

"I don't know why I'm in love with you," he said, reaching for his cup of tea.

"My magic dick, obviously," Louis answered, scrolling through characters again.

"Hm. I'm not sure that's it."

"Keep telling yourself that, Hazza."

"It's always been a dream of mine to fall in love with a dick. Looks like it's actually came true."

Louis either ignored it or didn't hear it, trying to decide on whether he wanted the motorbike for the next race.

He selected Bowser's Castle and leaned forward, eyes focused on the screen. "I won this track four times, Curly. Four times!"

Harry made a face, leaning away as Louis' voice escalated. "I should forfeit, then."

"You should. Wait, no. Don't do that," Louis said, looking at him, softness creeping onto his features. "You shouldn't ever just give up."

Harry stared at him for a few seconds before he started cackling. "Oh my god. Christ, you're something else."

"You love me."

Harry tsked. "I'm not so sure anymore."

As the game neared the end, they were running neck and neck. Harry was trying not to show his excitement at the possibility of beating Louis for once, but when Waluigi got hit with a laser and Princess glided by him at the finish line, Harry jumped to his feet in excitement.

"Ha! Fifth time's not the charm!" he yelled, dancing around the coffee table. He leaned down in front of Louis and grinned. "Loser!"

Louis scowled, chest heaving. "I cannot believe that happened."

"Believe it, mate! You just got beat by a _princess_."

"Sit the fuck down! We have one more race," Louis said, clicking his tongue. "And then I'll be eating your avocado rolls that aren't mixed in with the spicy shit."

"That wasn't part of the deal," Harry said, pointing a finger at him.

"Bonus," Louis deadpanned.

Harry squinted, pursing his lips together. "Upping the stakes after you just lost? That's a new development."

"We're going back to Bowser's Castle," Louis said, not wasting any time. He kept the same settings and Harry kept his.

"Watch out for lasers," Harry said, trying to keep his tone even.

"Fuck off, Hazza."

Harry sucked down a laugh, but mumbled "wow" as he stared at the screen.

When they got the green light, Louis took off, gripping his controller so hard that Harry was afraid he'd break it. He was muttering under his breath, and Harry was just moving along, picking up boosts and waiting for Louis' inevitable crash and burn.

The signal for the last lap came and went, and Harry grew a little concerned when he realized he was in third place. Louis was in sight, but probably unreachable - and he knew it. He was already bouncing in his seat, loud laughter bubbling out of his tiny frame.

...until...

"No! Fuck! What the fuck! You motherfucking piece of-"

Harry straightened, grinning as he realized Louis had hit a ramp and lost control on the landing when Mario rammed into him.

It took every ounce of strength in Harry's body not to burst at the seams as Princess blew by Waluigi. For added measure, he hit a gliding pad and moved even further ahead as the finish line came into sight.

Louis was sitting next to him, silent and fuming as the game ended.

Harry quietly placed his controller on the table and reached for his cup of tea.

"Just say it," Louis ground out.

"I've got nothing to say," Harry replied coolly, standing when the buzzer rang.

"You do so, and you bloody well know it."

Harry picked up his wallet and went to the door, keeping an eye on Louis, who was sitting perfectly still and staring at the TV.

"Hiiii," Harry said, grinning at the delivery guy. "Thanks so much." He handed over a tip and took the box, pushing the door closed with his shoulder. "Food has arrived, Waluigi. I believe you have something spicy waiting."

Louis' jaw clenched and he slowly put the controller down and got to his feet. "Well, a deal's a deal," he said, rolling his shoulders.

Harry unpacked the food, laying it all out on the table. He tried not to laugh when Louis held the unidentifiable roll up to his nose and sniffed it.

"Doesn't smell so bad," Louis commented.

"You might want to-" but Harry's words died on his lips when Louis shoved the roll into his mouth. "Get some water."

He waited, sticking an avocado roll into his mouth.

Louis was chewing, then he swallowed and grinned. "Joke's on you, Princess. That wasn't even..." He stopped talking, his eyes growing wide. "Oh, Christ. Fuck!"

Harry took a step back, about to round the counter to get some water, but Louis snatched up the rest of his food and hurried toward the living room.

"Um." Harry glanced around the room as if there was a hidden camera. "Lou?"

"I just remembered something!" Louis shouted. "I didn't even think. Fuck! Haz, come back. We're doing three out of five."

Harry groaned. "Are you kidding me?"

"No! Get your sweet arse in here!"

"You can't be serious, Lou. Can't we fucking eat first?"

"No, c'mon." He patted the seat next to him. "I'm upping the stakes."

"O...K?" Harry sat down next to him, placing his food on the table. He eyed Louis' quizzically. "Is that not hot at all?"

"Nope." Louis picked up his controller. "Rainbow Road again. Come on, chop chop!"

"Aren't you going to tell me what I'm racing for?"

"I'll give this up for a week if you win."

Well...

"Alright, fire it up," Harry said without hesitation.

"And if I win..." Louis held up a finger, looking Harry straight in the eye. "You have to call me 'daddy.'"

Harry choked on the roll in his mouth. It took him a minute to recover, swallowing down big gulps of water. "Lou! I already do that."

"In public."

"No. Absolutely not." Harry shook his head. "Forget it. You win. I forfeit. You don't have to eat that. Give it to me." He reached for Louis' box, but Louis snatched it away quickly.

"Nope."

"Lou, come on. Don't be stupid."

Louis lifted his eyebrows in defiance, and Harry knew it was over.

He groaned. "Fuck. Fine. Can we just get it over with," he mumbled.

Game four went to Louis, tying them up, and Harry was getting nervous. He never thought he'd get so involved in a dumb video game, but there he was, spending more time than Louis trying to find the right setup to ensure a win. After all, his dignity was on the line.

"Hurry up, Hazza. Ain't got all night," Louis said, pushing the last bit of sushi into his mouth.

"Don't be so cocky," Harry responded.

"You keep bringing my cock into this. I'm beginning to think you're obsessed."

Harry dropped the controller to his lap and glared at Louis. "Just shut up and start the race."

Louis grinned. "With pleasure."

"Probably not anytime soon," Harry quipped.

They were on Rainbow Road again, and Louis fell behind right at the start.

"You're doing it on purpose," Harry said when Louis started complaining. "Trying to make me complacent. I know you."

"I'm doing no such thing!"

"If you say so."

"I do say so."

Harry glanced at his boyfriend, his hair ruffled, stubble on his jaw, tongue poking out of his mouth, and he realized he wanted to spend a lifetime with this insanely stubborn and oft-times childish man.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Harry said, thinking out loud.

"Huh?"

"You," Harry said, looking at the screen as he glided along.

"What?" Louis glanced toward him, then back at the screen quickly.

"You're infuriating and hard-headed and piss me off a lot, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

Louis' jaw dropped and he looked at Harry, seemingly forgetting what he was in the middle of. But Harry hadn't. He smiled, watching as Waluigi froze on the track and the entire field blew by him.

"Um, Lou?" Harry said after a minute.

"Shit! Fuck!" Louis snapped out of it and tried to get his traction back, but it was too late. Princess was far enough ahead that Waluigi was doomed to a sixth-place finish.

Harry cleared his throat and sat back, eyes fixed on the screen.

Louis was quiet for approximately ten seconds.

"I hate you. And you're sleeping on the couch."

"Lou," Harry laughed. "Don't be daft."

Louis stood and promptly gathered up his trash, ignoring Harry's. "You think you can just be all writer-y and spill pretty words to distract me."

"Well, I didn't much fancy walking around calling you 'daddy,' so." He trailed Louis into the kitchen, boxing him in against the counter as he rinsed out a cup. "But, if I can sleep in our bed tonight, I'll call you 'daddy' all you want."

Louis shuddered when Harry pressed his hard body into Louis' back.

_Bingo._

"Honestly, Harold." Louis pushed his fringe off his forehead and glanced over his shoulder. "Taking advantage of a man in distress."

Harry chuckled, running his mouth along Louis' shoulder. "You could always sleep on the couch with me. I'll still be serving my punishment and you'll get your prize."

Louis sucked in a breath. "Or we could play another-"

"No. Absolutely not," Harry said, gripping Louis by the waist. "No more. I'm done." Pause. _"Daddy."_

Louis turned swiftly, smirking. "Fair 'nough. Last one to the couch is a rotten egg!"

He took off like a shot.

Harry let him win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!!!


	9. Prompt 9: Keep it down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "your apartment is next to/above mine and i can hear you and your partner dancing, singing/the bed moving/you two laughing and talking and i can’t sleep so i bitch about it and one day it stops and one day turns to months and i haven’t seen you smile in forever please let me in, i’ve been knocking for ten minutes"

"Zayn. Zaynie. He's so pretty," Louis cried, falling face-first onto the sofa.

"I know, Louis."

"He's got curls, and dimples, and like, those lips. Fuck. So pretty," the muffled voice continued.

"Uh huh."

"Don't even get me started on his legs. Jesus Christ."

Zayn sighed, shoving his students' papers into a folder.

"Zayyyyyn."

"Lou, for fucking real, just. I don't know. Talk to him?"

"I can't." Louis sat up, his face red from being buried in the cushion.

"Sure you can. Use words, and like, syllables. Use fucking Haiku. You talk to me just fine."

"But you're my best mate. I don't wanna fuck you."

Zayn rolled his eyes, digging through his school bag. "Touche."

"You know what I mean." Louis stood and glanced up at the ceiling when there was a suspicious noise.

Zayn followed his gaze. "Is that-"

"Again." Louis groaned and covered his ears. "I can't do it anymore. Every fucking day! They're so loud! I swear to God, I'm gonna march up there one day and give it to 'em."

"Uh, sounds like they're giving it to each other."

Louis glared at him. "I hate you."

* * *

Louis waited by the post in the lobby, leaning against the wall. He pretended to be flipping through his mail whenever someone approached. He wanted to find out who lived in 4C, right above him and Zayn. Whoever it was was responsible for keeping Louis awake at night, listening to the bed creaking and their moans growing louder until it fell silent. Sometimes, when he was sitting in the living room, there was music and shuffling on the floor as they danced (or so he assumed), and then there was the laughter. A lot of it.

And that's probably what pissed Louis off the most.

See, he was generally a happy guy. Always up for a laugh and that. But he hadn't had anyone to dance with or laugh with like that in months, and sue him if he was a little sore about having to listen to complete strangers be that kind of happy.

It was part of the reason he was drawn to Harry. Pretty Harry who always held the door open for people and smiled at them without fail and once asked Louis if he knew a good bakery in town.

All Louis knew for sure about Harry (besides the obvious) was that he lived in the building, wore the tightest jeans known to man, and sometimes, he came into the building carrying a bouquet of daisies. (Once, Louis watched as he plucked one from the bouquet and handed it to the building's resident crotchety old lady, who actually did know how to smile, apparently. But that was Harry for you. He had that effect on people.)

Louis cleared his throat, wondering how much longer he could pretend to flip through the mail, as his flatmate approached.

"Lou, what are you doing?"

"Oh, hi, Zayn," Louis said, casually turning a page in a catalog for - herbal tea?

"Is that the mail?"

"Um. No? Just, er-"

"Give me that." Zayn ripped the stack from Louis' hands. "Jesus."

"Hey, that catalog's mine!" Louis reached for it and they proceeded to have a tug of war, not noticing as Harry approached.

"Uh, hi, Louis, Zayn?" Harry said, chuckling a little as he stuck a key in his box. "Alright?"

"He's being a right-" Louis' voice faltered when he noticed which box Harry was reaching into. "Twat."

Harry shook his head, grinning as he slammed the door shut. Louis let out a little cry.

"Well, see you guys later," Harry said, whistling as he walked away. When he disappeared around the corner, Louis fell against the wall.

"He- he's in 4C," Louis said, aghast. "He's the-"

Zayn sighed. "Sorry, Lou."

Louis was not ashamed to get massively pissed that night.

* * *

"I brought you these!" Harry said brightly.

Louis looked down at the box, held in Harry's very large hand that Louis was desperately trying to ignore. "Tea?"

"It's herbal tea! I kind of noticed the catalog you and Zayn were fighting over, um. I get that one too. And I bought this same kind a few weeks ago. It's brilliant. Really helps clear the sinuses. Um. Lou?"

Louis' eyes snapped up to meet Harry's. "Huh?"

"Are you alright?"

"Oh. Yeah." No. "I'm fine, Hazza. Just dandy, mate. Are you alright?"

Harry's smile widened, which Louis didn't think was possible. "I'm really good."

Louis' shoulders fell as he took the box. "Good. Yeah. Uh, thanks for this, mate."

"No problem, Lou. I do love a good herbal tea. You should come to mine sometime, try some of the others."

"Oh. That's- yeah, maybe."

They moved from in front of the post as someone approached.

"Right, I should go," Harry said. "Expecting company in a bit."

Louis tucked the box against his chest, watching as Harry took a few steps backward. "Thanks again."

"See ya 'round, Lou." He started around the corner, but Louis had to know. He had to.

"Hazza?"

Harry appeared quickly, almost as if ... no, that'd be silly. Louis shook his head.

"Um, you're in 4C?"

"Yeah?"

"Is your bedroom on the outer wall? With a window?"

Harry's brow furrowed. He hesitated, then "yeah?"

Louis struggled to hide his disappointment.

"Is there a problem?"

"Oh, no. I, uh. Well. It's just, my bedroom is right below, so."

Harry flinched, his face turning red. "Oh. Shit. 'm sorry, mate. Uh."

"Apartment living, eh?" Louis laughed a little, hoping to ease some Harry's embarrassment.

"Yeah, that's- it's interesting for sure," Harry replied. "Sorry, I should go. I need to- uh. See you around."

It was quiet that night. Louis stared up at the ceiling, almost willing there to be some kind of noise. He hoped he hadn't hurt Harry's feelings or anything. Because he hadn't meant to. He had every intention of asking 4C to keep it down, but knowing it was Harry changed it a bit. Almost made it tolerable.

He didn't see Harry for three days, which wasn't unusual, but the next time he saw him, it was in passing and Harry barely looked at him, just offered him a little smile and a nod before disappearing up the stairs.

* * *

"So," Zayn said several weeks later. "Did you see the board in the lobby?"

"No?" Louis spoke around the Chinese food in his mouth, staring at Captain America on TV.

"Looks like 4C needs a roommate."

Louis sputtered, a piece of shrimp flying out of his mouth. "Wha?"

"It didn't say, like, who was looking. Just said go to 4C to inquire."

Louis thought about the last time he'd seen Harry. It was nearly a week ago, and Harry mumbled a hello to him, but didn't smile. It was almost like they were complete strangers just being cordial to one another.

"Shit. I fucked up," Louis said.

"Lou, you had every right to mention it to him. If you ask me-"

"I didn't."

"He should be more considerate of his neighbors."

"Zayn. This is Harry we're talking about. He always has a smile on his face, and he brings home flowers all the time, and he even got Mrs. Willoughby to smile! Who does that?"

"I'm just saying."

"I should go check on him. Shouldn't I?"

"No."

"Zayn."

"Lou, maybe he's the one who's moving out. It has been awfully quiet since you asked him about it. Maybe he spends all his time over at his boyfriend's and he's moving in with him."

"His- we don't know that. He could be straight."

"He is so not straight, Lou. I saw him with a bloke once at a club, and I'm pretty sure they aren't just friends."

Louis' head whipped so fast he saw stars. "What? When?"

"I don't know. It was a while ago. Some tall guy who looked like a model."

_Of fucking course._

"Of fucking course," Louis mumbled.

"Guy was bloody fit-"

"Zayn." Louis groaned and set his carton on the coffee table. "I'm going up there."

"Louis, be reasonable. You said yourself that Harry hardly even looks at you now. He's obviously a bit embarrassed. Don't go harassing him."

"I'm not going to harass him! I just want to make sure he's not moving out because his downstairs neighbor is a complete twat."

"Well."

Louis threw his balled up napkin at him. "I'll be back."

Zayn sighed. "Since you're going up there anyway, see if he has any of that-"

His words were cut off as Louis slammed the door, marching to the stairs.

Only as soon as he was standing in front of 4C, he hesitated. What was he going to say? "I'm sorry I complained about your sex noises and how much fun you have with your lover, please don't move out."

Yeah. No.

He lifted his fist and knocked softly, then rolled his eyes, because obviously no one inside would have heard that.

He knocked louder and stepped back, waiting.

He counted to a hundred before knocking again.

...and then again.

Finally, after he'd counted to a hundred six times, which. That's six-hundred seconds. Ten minutes of knocking and not getting any answer.

He sighed and turned, heading down the hall.

A click brought him up short and he glanced over his shoulder.

"Lou?"

Louis nearly wept with relief, but then he caught sight of Harry, sweet Harry with the legs and his hair in a bun, and wanted to weep for a different reason.

"Did you need something?"

"Can I come in?"

"I don't- uh. Yeah. Sure." He held the door open.

Louis' eyes swept across the flat. It was cozy, with loads of pillows and candles and books everywhere. The TV was playing... "are you watching Jaws?"

"It's almost Halloween," Harry said, crossing in front of him and to the sofa. "I like scary movies."

"That's not-" He bit his tongue. "Sure. Um. So, like. I saw the advert downstairs. Are you moving or?"

"Oh, no. My flatmate is. Moving in with his boyfriend."

"Oh."

"Are you looking for a place?" Harry eyed him curiously.

"Huh?" Louis tore his eyes off a framed photo of Harry and a guy, probably the one Zayn was on about.

"I mean, I'm a pretty good flatmate, I think. My mate, Niall? The one who's moving? He's the loud one."

Louis looked back at him when Harry stood, making his way toward the hall. "I'll show you the room. It's the master, has a window and-"

"Wait," Louis said, holding up a hand. "You told me you have the room with the window."

"I do."

"But-"

"Both bedrooms have windows," he said.

"They do?"

Harry blinked slowly. "Wait. You thought-" He clamped his mouth shut, then a laugh bubbled up and out.

"You don't- I mean, it's not you-" Louis felt his face flame. "Oh my god. I'm so sorry."

Harry was laughing, bracing himself against the wall.

"I'm just gonna go," Louis said, hanging his head. "Jesus. I'm sorry. I'm a complete and utter failure of a human being."

"Lou," Harry said softly.

Louis spun around, eyes narrowed. "Why have you been dodging me, mate? And you've been acting so bloody sad!"

"I- I- er, um. Kind of, maybe fancied you a bit. And like, I was, uh. A bit embarrassed thinking you heard me wanking all the time."

Louis fishmouthed, then slapped a hand over his mouth. His tummy vibrated with laughter.

"And, like. I'm positive now that it was Niall you heard, not me."

"What about the, you know." Louis waved his hand around. "Dancing and stuff."

"Oh, that was me." He grinned. "I like to dance when I clean."

Louis' eyes sparkled. "You're something else."

"Do you want to see the room?"

"Um. Yeah. Yes," Louis said, finally meeting Harry in the hall. "Show me."

And sure enough, it was Niall's room right above Louis'. He sighed with relief. "Not gonna lie, mate. I'm massively relieved."

"Yeah?" Harry asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Louis turned to face him. "So you're not seeing anyone?"

"Nope."

"Not some tall modelesque guy?"

Harry's brows knit together, then he laughed. "Nick? No. He's a mate, that's all. And he'd be flattered about the modelesque thing."

Louis waved his hand around. "Semantics."

"I have a question," Harry stated.

"Okay?" Louis drew the word out, stepping a bit closer to him.

"Does Zayn have good hearing?"

* * *

Zayn does, in fact, have very good hearing.  
(He also now has to sleep with his head buried under pillows.) 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! <3


	10. Prompt 10: Start me up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "You keep bringing your car into my shop with a series of increasingly unlikely problems and my professional opinion is it’d be cheaper for you to just ask me to dinner already"

Louis was standing in the Tesco car park, admiring the crisp vintage Porsche when someone stepped up next to him.

"Beautiful, isn't she?" the stranger asked from a foot away. His voice was deep, bit of a posh accent that meant he was probably from Oxford or bloody Berkshire.

Louis did a doubletake when he glanced at the guy. He was tall - well, taller than himself - with toned legs wrapped up in a pair of sinful black skinnies, the knees ripped out. His curly hair reached his shoulders and was askew around a pair of Raybans atop his head. He wore a white v-neck t-shirt, a hint of a tattoo at the collar, and Louis licked his lips. Was this guy a lawyer or a doctor? He looked too young to be, but then maybe he was aging well.

"Your car's gorgeous, mate," he finally said.

"Oh, s'not mine."

"Oh." Louis cleared his throat.

"I drive that piece of crap over there," the guy said, pointing toward an old VW Golf, blue paint faded and chipped. "But it runs. Most of the time."

Louis snorted, motioning at the bicycle he was leaning on. "Mate, I ride a bicycle."

"Student?"

"Yep. University of London. You?"

"Same." He grinned, and Louis nearly staggered from the sight of two craters disguised as dimples. "Oh, fuck. 'm Harry, sorry. Bit rude, innit." He shifted the bottled water and his phone to his left hand to hold out his right.

Louis didn't even hesitate before accepting, and if he noticed how his smaller hand was engulfed by Harry's giant one, well. "I'm Louis," he replied. "Haven't seen you 'round before."

"Nah. Transferred this year from Manchester. Post-grad history. My sister lives in Kensington and needed a roommate. And I needed a change."

"Well, Manchester to London. Can't really change more'n that, can you?"

"What about you? What're you studying?"

"Post-grad engineering. And I'm from Doncaster, originally, so we were kind of neighbors, yeah?"

"Hm, suppose so." Harry looked at him, his eyes moving down to Louis' Vans-clad feet and back up, stopping at the dagger tattoo on his left forearm. "That's sick, mate," he said, pointing at it.

"Oh, yeah. Thanks." He rubbed it, smiling a little. His phone beeped in his back pocket and he groaned. "Back to work for me."

"You work here?" Harry asked. "I come in all the time, never saw-"

"Nah. I'm at the mechanic down the road. Shit job, but it pays the bills and such."

"Oh. Well, no shame in it, is there?" Harry smiled, and Louis was pretty sure for once in his life, he didn't feel ashamed at all to tell someone about his crap employment. "Maybe I'll see you around."

"Yeah, maybe." Louis took a step back. "Take care, Harry."

"You too, Lou."

Louis hated nicknames, but for some reason, it worked coming from Harry, who was still smiling at him as Louis turned, waved over his shoulder and headed for the road.

* * *

"Louis!" the Irish voice bellowed from the office.

"Yeah, yeah," Louis replied, rolling his eyes as he let the hood of the Renault fall shut. He wiped his hands on a rag and shoved it into his pocket. "What is it now, Nialler?" he asked, stepping into the office.

"Bloke just rang and said he's bringing in his Golf. You done with that Renault?"

"Yeah. What's wrong with the Golf then?"

"Dunno. He said summat about the battery. Didn't sound real bright, if ya ask me."

"Great." Louis sighed and went out to move the Renault to the lot. He was just walking back to the building when the old blue Golf pulled in. Louis paused, eyeing it, because he only knew one person who drove a car like that, and. Shit.

"Hey, Lou!" Harry said, beaming as he got out of the car.

"Um, hi. You're the one who rang?"

"Yeah. Uh. Do ya have time?"

"I just finished a job, so. What's wrong with it? Can you describe the problem?" He opened the door and pulled the latch. Harry stood back, arms crossed and eyes on Louis as he opened up the hood.

"It wouldn't start?"

Louis paused his reach for the bar to prop open the hood. "You drove it here, mate."

Harry frowned. "Oh. Right, but like. It- um."

Louis finally got the hood propped up and put his hands on his hips. "Did it hesitate?"

"Hesitate?"

_Christ. Maybe Niall was right._

"When you turned the key, did it hesitate to start?"

"Oh! Well, yes. I mean, it kind of just, um."

Louis sighed and walked around the car. He leaned in and turned the key. It started right up, and Harry let out a laugh, clapping. "You fixed it!"

Louis stared at him. "Mate, I didn't even touch it."

"Oh. Well, it started easier for you. Maybe you've just got a golden touch," Harry replied, dimples popped as he wiggled his fingers.

Louis quirked a brow. "Right. Anyway, I'll go ahead and hook up the battery, make sure it's not draining or summat."

"Right, yes. Do that," Harry responded, on his heels as he walked back into the shop. He was so close that when Louis stopped, Harry stumbled into his back. 

"Oof! Sorry, mate. Sorry." He backed up, laughing a little. "Sorry."

"If you say that one more bloody time-"

"Sorry?" Harry said, grimacing.

Louis pursed his lips, damning himself for finding this giant goof attractive. He grabbed the battery kit and led Harry back out to the car.

"Alright, get in and crank 'er up when I tell you," Louis said as he hooked up the machine. Harry did as told, and Louis fiddled with some knobs before he motioned at Harry.

Harry's tongue poked out of his mouth as he turned the key, and the car started right up, earning another eyeroll from Louis. He looked at the readings on the machine and shook his head. "You can shut it down," he said.

Harry turned the car off and got out. "So? Does it work?"

Louis started laughing as he unhooked everything. "Yeah, Haz. It's practically new, this thing. When did you last replace the battery?"

Harry's brow furrowed. "Um. A few months ago?"

"Well, I'm happy to say you weren't ripped off. As long as you don't leave your lights on, this battery should last at least another couple years."

"Oh! Well, that's good. Great." Harry gave him a close-lipped smile. "Alright then. How much do I owe you?"

Louis waved his hand. "Diagnostic is always free."

"Right. Good. Honest. I like that."

Louis lowered the hood. "Anything else you need checked out?"

"No, no. I think it's- for being a piece of crap, it's alright. I have a class to get to, actually, so." Harry backed his way to the door. "Guess I'll see you 'round."

"Yep. Take care there, Haz."

Harry saluted him before he got into the car. Louis scratched his head as the Golf pulled away and when he turned, Niall was cramming a handful of crisps into his mouth. "Get 'er squared?" he asked as he chewed.

Louis huffed. "Yeah, piece of cake, mate."

_* * *_

Two days later, Harry was back.

This time, Louis was busy, lying beneath a Jaguar as he changed its oil. Someone kicked his foot and he grunted. "What is it, Nialler," he asked, looking to his left when the blonde dropped to his hands and knees to peer at him.

"Some bloke in the lobby, asking for you specifically."

A drip of oil landed on Louis' cheek and he wiped it away. "Is he tall, curly hair?"

"Er, I dunno. It's up in a bun."

"Christ." Louis sighed and plugged the drain before sliding out. He ran his greasy hands down the front of his coveralls as he walked to the lobby. Sure enough, there stood Harry, and he grinned when he spied Louis.

"Hi, Lou!"

"Harry," Louis said, smiling and pointedly not looking at the curve of Harry's neck. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I found something under my car, and like, it might be important?" He held out his hand to reveal a bolt.

Louis groaned and took it from him. "Haz, this could be from anything."

"I know, but like, what if it's holding the engine together?"

Louis looked from the bolt to the man in front of him, and then he started laughing, a full-on belly laugh that had others in the waiting area laughing along with him.

Harry pouted. "Heyyyyy."

Louis' laughter died off and he squared his shoulders, clearing his throat. "Right. Well, mate. I'm happy to say that if you drove your car here, the engine is likely still in one piece."

"It made a funny noise?" Harry questioned.

"Are you asking or telling?"

"I'm ... telling? Yeah, like it kind of, I dunno. When I was driving, I heard like a rattling sound."

"Ah. Now we're getting somewhere." He wagged a finger at Harry and motioned him to follow. They passed by the office and Louis paused, poking his head in. "Nialler, can you get Stan to finish the Jag? Just needs the filter and the oil."

"Will do, boss," Niall replied.

"Boss?" Harry asked. "You run this place?"

"I'm second in command when the big guy's out," Louis commented as they moved through the shop and back to the lot, approaching Harry's car. "Can you describe the noise?"

"Um, it was just like a rattle."

"Right, but did it sound like something was loose or?"

"Yes?"

Louis sighed. "Haz."

"Alright, it wasn't like loud? It just kind of, I dunno. Like if you knock on a piece of metal. A clang!"

"A clang."

"Yeah. You know." He tapped his fingers on the hood of the car. "Like that."

"Have you struck anything that might cause something to come loose?"

"Like what?"

"I don't- like a hole in the road or maybe a curb?"

"Oh! Well." Harry's face scrunched up. "No."

Louis held up the bolt again, examining it closely. "You know, this doesn't look like any sort of bolt that belongs in a Golf."

"It is! I swear," Harry said, holding up his hands.

"And you know this because you're an expert, yeah?"

Harry giggled. "Lou, be serious. If I were, I'd not be here."

 _Christ, he's adorable and slightly infuriating_ , Louis thought.

"So, what d'ya think? Are you gonna have to take a couple days to check it out?"

_A lot infuriating._

"I don't think that's necessary, Hazza. Tell you what. Why don't you go about your business, and if you hear the noise again, bring it back, alright? But do me a favor. Pay attention to where the noise seems to be coming from, and listen close so you can maybe describe it better. Can you do that?"

Harry frowned. "Yeah, 'course."

Louis grabbed Harry's hand - _Jesus, he's giant_ \- and dropped the bolt into it. "Put this in a safe place. Just in case."

"Are you sure-"

"Absolutely positive, mate." Louis slapped Harry's shoulder and gave it a squeeze before pulling away. _Strong, solid._

Harry hesitated, chewing on his lip. He started to speak, but shook his head and turned. "Thanks, Lou," he mumbled.

"Anytime, Harry."

* * *

It was another week before Louis saw him again, and this time, Harry came into the shop carrying a tire.

Louis was sipping his tea and nearly spat it out when Harry came into view.

"What the fuck."

Niall started cackling. "You're up, Lou."

Louis ignored him, getting up from the stool he was on behind the counter. He approached Harry, whose eyes were wide and apologetic. Louis peered around Harry's shoulder and saw the Golf sitting in the lot, all four tires still attached.

"Well, Hazza, this might be a first."

"Pardon?" Harry still held the tire, then grunted as he let it slide to the floor, where it promptly fell over with a thud.

"You have a magic car, did you know that?"

Harry looked back at his car, then at Louis. "I do?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake." Louis rubbed his hands across his face.

"Oh, you've got-" Harry reached forward and gently rubbed a finger across Louis' cheek. "Anyway. Why's it magic?"

Louis blinked, having forgotten what he was saying. "Huh?"

"My car. You said she's magic."

"Oh. Right, well. I don't know if you noticed, but it's got all four tires on, yet you're carrying one. So clearly, after you took this one off, it grew a new one. I didn't think they made cars like that anymore."

Louis heard Niall struggling to breathe behind them.

"I- what? That's-" Harry's eyes were wide. "You're fucking with me."

"Of course I'm fucking with you, Hazza!" Louis groaned. "Jesus. What's the problem this time?"

"This is my spare. It just needs air."

"You could've gotten that yourself, mate. No need to come in. And also, we charge for that."

"You charge for air."

"Yep."

"Alright. How much?"

"Twenty quid," Louis replied seriously.

"Oh, that's not much-"

"A pound."

"Right."

"No, I mean it's twenty quid per pound of air."

Harry stared at him, and by now, Niall wasn't even bothering to hide his laughter.

"And this is thirty p-s-i, so you're looking at probably one hundred and twenty quid, unless the tire's totally flat."

"It's not," Harry said through his teeth.

"Well, good. Look at that, saving a little money today, aren't we?" He grinned and started to bend down to pick up the tire, but Harry grabbed his arm.

"Lou. It doesn't need fucking air."

"No?" Louis asked, feigning surprise.

Harry groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Look, my car is a piece of crap, but it's fine. I just kept trying to find excuses to see you. In case that wasn't obvious."

"I knew it," Niall deadpanned, tearing open a bag of crisps, his feet propped up on the counter.

"Thanks for that, Niall," Louis said, not taking his eyes off the man in front of him.

"Anyway, can we just get dinner or something? Maybe not tonight, but-"

"I'm free tonight," Louis said quickly. Quicker than he should have, he thought as he cringed.

"Oh." Harry's dimples appeared. "OK then. Um. You close soon?"

"Thirty minutes. But I'd like to go home and get cleaned up."

"Of course. Give me your address and I'll come by around seven?"

* * *

Wouldn't you know, on their way back to Louis' following dinner, Harry ran over a nail in the road - and the spare had been forgotten at the shop. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)


	11. Prompt 11: Are you a gay man?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I volunteered for a sex study and you’re the lead researcher and thank god it’s acceptable for me to be turned on in this situation because DAMN!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiiii. Just a quick note to let you know I have changed the rating from T to M. This prompt has some dirty talk and smut. So if you don't read above the T rating, you might want to skip this one. :)

Harry stood at the community bulletin board, his arms crossed as he browsed the multitude of advertisements and messages. Some of them were the usual "roommate wanted" and "free kittens," while others were a little more eye-catching, like the one that read in big, red, bold letters "are you a gay man?"

He cleared his throat and glanced around as he took a step closer.

**ARE YOU A GAY MAN?**  
_We are a leading research institute searching for 100 gay men (over 18) across the UK for a study on the habits and preferences of gay men. This is NOT a paid study, but solely volunteer. If interested, please call the number below._

Harry casually scratched the back of his neck, looking around again before he reached forward and snatched one of the tags off the bottom. It wasn't that he wasn't proud of his sexuality, because oh, he was, but a sex study? Hm.

He shoved the tag in his pocket just as the door behind him flung open and Liam walked out.

"Took ya long enough, mate," Harry said. "Alright?"

Liam groaned. "No. He said it's too late to switch my shift, so I guess I'm stuck here for the weekend."

"Sorry, man." Harry clapped a hand on his back. "I'll think of you while I'm sunning myself on the beach."

"You do that, mate. Honestly, why does Niall always wait until the last minute to plan these lad holidays?"

"Um, that's why it's called impromptu, Li."

Liam huffed and pulled his sunglasses on as they stepped out of the building. "I'm gonna impromptu shove my foot up his arse."

Harry laughed, slinging an arm around his best mate's shoulder. "Let's grab a pint, eh?"

* * *

"I'm fuckin' knackered," Niall said, collapsing onto his towel next to Harry after the pair finished a beach volleyball match.

Harry hummed, rubbing sunscreen onto his arms. "Do you reckon they named it Brighton because-"

"I swear to God, if you finish that awful fuckin' pun-"

"It's sunny?" Harry finished, grinning.

Niall groaned and flung a handful of sand at him. "You're the worst."

Harry started to scold him for throwing the sand, but his gaze shifted as a pair of tanned legs came into view, standing mere feet in front of him. His eyes moved up - _nice calves, lovely knees, plush arse, strong thighs, fuck_ \- and across the loose black boardshorts, freezing when they hit the torso, a fine line of hair disappearing into the waistband.

"Uh, Harry?" Niall waved his hand in front of Harry's face.

Harry ignored him, snapping out of his trance and moving further up, across a gorgeous chest with a light smattering of hair - and tattoos, the words "it is what it is" stretching across his collarbones.

"Fuck," Harry said. "You cannot be serious."

By the time Harry got to the stranger's face, he was already in love - and the face pretty much sealed it. The man had crinkles at the edges of his eyes as he squinted in the sunlight, and the most perfect cheekbones Harry had ever seen.

"Jesus Christ," he mumbled.

"Pardon?"

"Uh. What?" Harry looked up at the voice above him. "Sorry?"

"Did you say something?" the man asked in a raspy northern voice.

"No?"

"Oh." He regarded Harry for a second before he looked back at the girl standing next to him. She laid a hand on his shoulder, laughing, and Harry pouted, desperately trying to tear his gaze off the man's biceps, his right arm covered in more tattoos.

"Lottie, for fuck’s sake..." the man's voice trailed as the pair walked off, and Harry stared after them, his eyes on the man's sculpted back.

Niall was laughing so hard he had tears in his eyes. "Oh my God. Oh my God."

"Shut up," Harry said, throwing sand back at him. "He was fucking gorgeous."

"I don't think I've ever seen you react like that. You should go get his number."

Harry shook his head. "Uh, it appears he's got a girlfriend, Ni. So that would be a no."

"Could be his sister."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Trust me, I'm not that lucky."

* * *

Harry was going through the pockets of his jeans, preparing them for the wash, when he pulled out the slip of paper. It took him a few seconds to remember what it was for, and when he did, he dropped the jeans and went over to his phone.

"Thank you for calling the Robison Research Group. This is Rebecca, how may I assist you?"

"Uh, yeah. Hi. I'm calling about the, um, study?"

"Which one, sir? Do you have a study number?"

Harry glanced down at the slip and saw a number written across the corner. "Eh, four oh eight?"

"Four oh eight, got it. One moment." There was a pause, and then "when are you available?"

"Whenever you need me?"

"We have openings in the morning. How about I schedule you for ten?"

"Okay, yeah. That's- that's fine. Ten it is. Do I need to like, do anything? Or bring something?"

"Nope, just yourself. Can I get your name?"

"Harry Styles."

"Great. I've got you down for ten, Harry. Try to get here a little early so you can fill out a questionnaire, okay?"

"Right, okay. See you then."

* * *

"Where are you off to all dressed up?"

Harry looked down at his dark skinny jeans and green paisley shirt before looking back at Liam. "Um. I'm not?"

"Mate, it's nine-thirty on Tuesday. You don't have class at nine-thirty on Tuesday."

With a shrug, Harry pulled on his last boot and stood. "Just out and about. Need anything?"

Liam peered at him over the laptop. "Might grab some milk."

"Milk. Right. Back in a bit, then."

Harry was nervous, and he had no clue why. It wasn't as if being a gay man was something new. He'd been out and proud since he was fourteen years old. Yet as he approached the nondescript brick building in Croydon, he had to pause outside and catch his breath.

When he walked in, he was surprised to find it looked like any other office, an empty waiting room just inside the door, and a receptionist's window.

"Hello, welcome. Are you here for one of the studies?" the girl said.

Harry cleared his throat. "Uh, I have an appointment? Harry. Styles."

Her face lit up. "I'm Rebecca. We spoke on the phone."

Harry smiled at her, watching as she clicked around on the computer and then stood. "Let me get you a packet. Have a seat."

The packet contained the usual disclaimers, privacy notices, etcetera. Harry filled out the top sheet, a questionnaire about his background and basic medical history, then he was made to wait, listening to a talk show on the flat-screen TV hanging across the room.

"Harry? He's ready for you now."

He followed Rebecca down a bland white hallway. She paused outside a door and knocked. "I've got your ten here."

"Come in," the voice called.

"Relax," Rebecca whispered to Harry as she held the door open. She winked at him and he laughed a little before the door shut behind him, leaving him alone. There was a desk and its empty chair in front of a window looking out to a brick wall; shelves full of books, two leather sofas and a coffee table that had a bouquet of yellow and orange flowers on it.

"Uh. Hello?"

"One second!" the voice replied, and it was ... something. Harry felt goosebumps at its dulcet quality. Resonant, almost.

When the owner of said voice emerged from a door, Harry found himself placing a hand on a nearby shelf for support.

Louis froze, staring back at him, the books in his hand forgotten. "Uh, hi. I'm Louis-"

"You were at Brighton," Harry said into the charged air.

Louis didn't move a muscle.

"You were at Brighton on Sunday? You and ... your girlfriend? And like, you-" He stopped talking when Louis started laughing.

"Lottie's me sister, mate. And I'm really glad you're here."

Harry paused in his shifting. "Huh?"

Louis placed the stack of books on the coffee table. "I saw you playing volleyball. You and your ... um, friend? Boyfriend?"

"Best mate, actually."

"Right. And Lottie, being the little shit she is, got tired of me whinging about the fit guy in the little yellow shorts, so she dragged me over to meet you, but then I chickened out because you were with someone that I wrongly assumed was your boyfriend. And, you know. Now you're here."

Harry was grinning, dimples on full display. "You're running a sex study."

"Well, no. I mean, yes. But like, I'm just the guy asking the questions. You, though." He pointed at Harry. "You're volunteering for one."

"I'm beginning to see its benefits," Harry mused, watching as Louis picked up a clipboard from the desk.

"Indeed," Louis replied, grinning as he sat down next to Harry. "So, I have fifteen questions, and it'd be lovely if you could answer them all, but if you can't, that's okay. I'll need you to be as honest as possible. Any questions?"

"Is it strictly an oral exam?"

Louis giggled, color rising to his cheeks. Then he cleared his throat. "Stop. This is serious. First question. Are you a top or a bottom?"

Harry stared at him. "Is that really on there?"

Louis showed him the paper, and sure enough, it was the very first question.

"Huh. Well, uh. I'm quite versatile, I think."

"So no preference?"

Harry shrugged. "Not really. What's yours?"

Louis looked like he was contemplating whether he should answer. "Um. Question number two. Do you prefer to have sex with a boyfriend, a casual partner slash someone you're dating, or with a friend?"

"Well, I mean. I always prefer to be in a relationship. Casual sex is fun, you know? But it's not very fulfilling. And I've never had sex with any of my friends."

"Are you easily aroused during casual sex? Or do you find it easier to get aroused if you're in a relationship with your partner?"

Harry sucked in his bottom lip and fiddled with the rings on his fingers. "It doesn't take much, if I'm honest."

The pen in Louis' hand scratched a wayward line before getting back on track. He cleared his throat. "Of the following, which do you prefer more: kissing, giving oral sex or receiving oral-"

"Giving," Harry said quickly, cutting him off.

Louis lifted his head and looked at him, blue eyes searching. "Oh. That's- uh. No one else has said that."

"Really? That's a bit shameful, innit."

Louis' eyes dropped to Harry's lips. "Um. Next question. You said you're versatile, but I'd like to know, er, the study, I mean, would like to know if you enjoy anal sex, either receptive or insertive?"

"Yes."

"Yes? To both? Not one more than the other, even a little bit?"

Harry nodded. "Both. What's not to like?"

"Alright," Louis murmured, chewing on the edge of his pen. His eyes darted up, peering at Harry from underneath his lashes.

And that's when Harry knew he was in trouble. He'd been in trouble the minute Louis had entered the room. He wanted to know Louis' answers to these questions, whether he liked giving or receiving, what he enjoyed in bed himself. Just thinking about it, and how his answers were affecting Louis, was turning him on. He shifted a little, feeling his cock starting to fatten up.

"How long have you been sexually active as a gay man?"

"Um, well. I came out when I was fourteen, and my first boyfriend was when I was sixteen? So, sixteen."

Louis flipped back to the first page, looking at Harry's biographical chart. "Six years ago, then."

"How about you?" Harry asked, his tone genuine enough that Louis felt comfortable answering.

"I didn't come out until I was eighteen. Me family knew, but I grew up in a place that wasn't real open-minded, you know? But I had me first boyfriend at sixteen, too. Even though we had to hide it from everyone but our families."

Harry frowned. "That's awful. I'm sorry, Lou."

Louis smiled. "'s alright. It all worked out. Anyway, moving on. The reason for that question is that a previous study found that older men report not feeling any pain when engaging in anal sex. Of course, that study is outdated, so we're looking for new statistics to find out whether age and experience mean more comfort and enjoyment. So, the question for you is whether you experience any pain during receptive anal sex."

"Well, I mean. No? Not when my partner knows what they're doing, anyway."

Louis tapped the pen on the clipboard and shifted in his seat. "Ver- very good. Okay, and do you experience any penile pain during insertive anal sex?"

Harry stared at his mouth as he spoke. "Uh, no. But for the record, I don't mind a little pain."

Louis smirked, checking off the box. "Good to know." He paused. "You like giving oral, you said. Do you also enjoy rimming?"

 _Okay!_ Harry thought, mentally throwing up his hands. His dick was uncomfortably hard and he palmed himself, not caring if Louis saw. (He did, his eyes quickly flicking down and back up.)

"Yes?" Harry replied dumbly.

"Yes? You don't sound so sure." Louis didn’t take his eyes off Harry’s mouth.

"No! I am. I do. Like it, I mean. I fucking love it. When you're-"

"Nope." Louis held up a hand. "Gonna stop you there, don't need details right now. Just have a few mundane health-related type questions to ask and you'll be free to, um, you know. Go." He paused, locking his eyes with Harry's. "Or whatever."

"Is there a bathroom I could use?" Harry asked, eyes sparkling.

Louis' reply was urgent. He didn't look up from the clipboard as he spoke, his intent clear. "Six questions, Hazza. Six more. I don't have another appointment for a half hour. Bathroom's through that door. Give me three more minutes."

They were giggling as they pushed through the door. Louis slammed it shut, then grabbed Harry, pushing him up against the back of it.

“Fuck, Lou,” Harry groaned, his big hands gripping Louis’ waist.

“Yeah, fuck Lou,” Louis replied, grinning as he reached a hand down to palm Harry. “Jesus Christ. What do you have in there?”

Harry pushed his hips forward against Louis’ hand. “Why don’t you have a look?”

Louis smirked, and before he could say anything, Harry got his mouth on his, full lips meeting his thinner ones. Louis grunted when his back hit the door as Harry spun him around. Louis reacted on instinct, pushing up against Harry’s solid frame, their cocks rubbing together through denim. They swallowed each other’s moans and Harry tugged at the button of Louis’ jeans. As soon as he got the zipper down, he shoved his hand in, pressing deft fingers against Louis’ hard cock.

“Oh fuck,” Louis breathed, pulling away from Harry’s mouth. “Fuck, Haz.”

“Gonna suck you off,” Harry said casually, as if it had been his plan all along. “Been thinking about you since Brighton. Your fucking body is - fuck - so hot,” he grunted as he dropped to his knees, tugging on Louis’ jeans.

Louis’ head fell back against the door with a thump and he squeezed his eyes shut. “God, your mouth.”

“Mm, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet, baby,” Harry murmured, yanking down Louis’ pants. “Wanna fuck it?”

Louis looked down at him, eyes wide. Harry was staring back, his fingers already wrapping around Louis’ cock, the cool metal of his rings adding to the sensation. He pressed his thumb against the leaking head, and Louis whimpered. “Fuck, yeah. Okay. Yeah.”

Harry had a glow in his cheeks as he pressed a soft kiss to the tip. Louis almost came then, hips jerking forward slightly.

“Sorry,” he said, voice cracking. “Jesus.”

“Hm, first time I’ve been called that. I think I like it,” Harry said, grinning as he looked up at the handsome man above him. He slowly moved his hand down Louis’ cock and then took him in his mouth, his pink lips wrapping around the head. He slid down at a painfully slow pace until his nose met Louis’ finely trimmed hair. And then he hummed, and Louis moved his hands to Harry’s mass of curls, tugging softly.

“No, no,” Louis choked out. “Fuck. Don’t- I’m gonna come right now if you-”

Harry pushed his tongue up on the underside, along the vein, and Louis really hoped Rebecca couldn’t hear the animal sound that tore out of his mouth. Harry was still there, lips wrapped solidly around Louis, and he looked up at him, nodding slightly, his hands dropping to his sides.

“Oh, fuck. Okay,” Louis exhaled shakily. He moved his hands to encase Harry’s head, fingers gently prodding his scalp, and watched as he pulled his cock out of Harry’s mouth until just the tip was touching his lips. Harry kept his mouth there, firmly in place, and Louis took over.

He pushed forward, and the younger man’s eyelids fluttered shut. A soft moan sounded low in his throat, the vibration of it hitting Louis right in the gut.

“Oh my God,” Louis whispered, watching his cock work in and out of Harry’s mouth. “Fuck. You’re sinful. This is - Christ - this is better than-” His words stuttered when Harry moved his big hands up to Louis’ thighs. He pressed his fingers in, dancing upward until they squeezed his arse cheeks, and Louis’ jerked forward, feeling his cock hit the back of Harry’s throat.

That did it. He came inside Harry’s mouth before he could warn him, chanting his name into the warm air of the small room. Harry swallowed it all, didn’t even flinch. When Louis’ stopped his small thrusts, Harry met his soft gaze as he pulled off slowly, getting in a last lick of the tip. He smacked his lips together, then giggled.

“Fuck, you are a giver, aren’t you?” Louis whispered, eyes cast down on him. “C’mere. Let me get you sorted.”

“Bit- bit late,” Harry replied sheepishly, eyes darting toward his own crotch.

Louis’ eyes traveled further down, and he smacked a hand over his mouth, laughing. “Oh, well. Another time, then.”

“That’s what I’m hoping,” Harry said, grinning as he reached for some tissues.

“We’ve got a few minutes yet,” Louis told him, brushing his fingers through Harry’s hair. “Get cleaned up and kiss me some more, yeah?”

Harry moved a bit quicker, throwing the tissue in the bin. He leaned forward before standing, though, and pressed kisses along Louis’ thigh, and then made the older man giggle when he pressed a reverent kiss to his cock.

“Such a lovely cock, Lou,” he said, pulling up Louis’ pants, then his jeans.

“You’re a piece of work, Hazza,” Louis said, grasping Harry’s shoulders. He helped him to his feet and threw his arms around his waist.

They may or may not have spent the next ten minutes snogging against the door until Rebecca came into the office, yelling that his next appointment had arrived.

“Uh, shit. One- one second!” Louis called as a giggling Harry pressed his face into Louis’ shoulder.

“Should I postpone?” Rebecca asked through the door, her voice carried on a laugh.

“Um, no?” Louis answered, eyes on Harry.

“Alright, Louis. He’ll be in in five minutes. Make yourself decent, yeah?”

“I can do a lot in five minutes,” Harry commented, fingers creeping toward Louis’ button again.

“No!” Louis gasped. “Fuck. I mean. No. Let’s save some for the first date.”

Harry’s face lit up. “You wanna date me?”

“Jesus, Harold,” Louis said, rolling his eyes fondly. He shoved Harry’s shoulder, then quickly reached for him when he stumbled a bit. He pressed his mouth to Harry’s, licking along his lips, before pulling back. “Let me get your number, yeah?”

Harry followed Louis back into the office, picking up his phone from the coffee table. They swapped numbers, and Louis scrunched up his face in confusion when he saw what Harry had saved himself as.

“What’s this?” he asked, pointing at the emoji next to Harry’s name.

“It’s a present, Lou. A gift,” Harry replied, grinning.

“No shit. Why?”

“Because I’m a giver. Duh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to my bestie C for the prompt, and the encouragement! That was my first attempt at m/m smut. Errr....anyway.
> 
> I received a lovely prompt from a reader, so I may get to work on that soon. I have a couple prompts already written to post eventually. I haven't been writing at all because reasons, but hopefully I can get over it.
> 
> If you're one of the six people who read these, thank you. <3


	12. Prompt 12: Come find me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "I found your tumblr but you don’t know and urg now you’re posting about your crush on this cute person oh wait is that me"

"Psst."

Louis twiddled his pencil between his index finger and thumb, trying to follow along to the professor's instructions. How was he supposed to pass statistics if he didn't even know-

"Psst. Louis."

Louis glanced to his right, finding Liam looking back at him. "What?"

Liam pointed to the row a step down, where Harry Styles was sitting, laptop open and-

"Is that-"

Liam nudged him. "He's totally watching porn."

Louis wasn't sure if he should feel scandalized or intrigued. "Nah, mate. That'd be pretty ballsy-"

"Gentlemen," the professor called.

All eyes in the room shifted back to them, including Harry's. He frowned as he looked over his shoulder and up at Louis, who cleared his throat and waved at the professor.

"Sorry, Dr. Snead."

Dr. Snead smirked and turned back to the board. "Now, as I was saying..."

* * *

Louis couldn't help himself.

Two days later, he sat directly behind the desk Harry always used. They'd only spoken to each other twice since the semester started. OK, so it was just a "pardon me, mate" and "are you done with that stapler?" but still.

There were no assigned seats, but Louis felt funny taking a different seat, so when Nick walked in and made his way over, Louis put on his best smile. "Nicholas."

"You're in my seat," Nick said flatly.

"Switch with me just this once. Please?" He batted his long eyelashes. Hey, it always worked in the past.

Nick's eyes narrowed. "Why should I?"

"Um. I have a bad knee?"

"Mate, you're literally six feet from your other seat."

"I'll buy you a latte."

"Deal."

Liam looked confused as he walked up, but didn't make any move to sit next to Louis. He took the seat next to Nick, and casually opened up his laptop.

Harry stumbled through the door a minute before class started. His steps slowed as he made his way up, his eyes on Louis.

"Hiya, Harry," Louis chirped, smiling.

"Um. Hello." Harry's cheeks colored a bit and Louis smirked.

It was halfway through class before Louis had the opening he needed to check out Harry's screen. The lad leaned over to dig through his backpack, and Louis' eyes zeroed in on the screen. There was a collage of winter photos, and that was it.

Seriously?

He sat forward casually, glanced at the address bar, and jotted it into the margin of his notebook just as Harry straightened in his seat.

After class, Louis made good on his promise to buy Nick a latte. He spied Harry traipse into the coffee shop. He carried several books and his laptop, taking a seat in the corner.

"Why don't you just talk to him?" Nick asked, smirking as he blew into the cup.

"Who?" Louis asked, holding a cup between his hands.

"Dimples over there. I assume that's why you wanted my seat."

"Dimples," Louis said, glancing toward Harry, only to find green eyes already looking back at him. Harry averted his gaze, ducking his head behind his computer.

Nick snorted. "Right. Anyway, I'm off. Thanks for the drink, mate."

"Thanks for the seat," Louis mumbled. He didn't even need to look at the URL he'd scrawled in his notebook. He remembered it: snowinjuly.tumblr.com.

He promised himself he wouldn't make fun of it. "Snow in July. Honestly?"

He found the collage of photos as the last post, and below them, a caption: _I wonder how he tastes in the winter. Does he taste of peppermint? Snowflakes on your tongue? Does he taste of hot chocolate and marshmallows? Or does he simply taste like home? I think I'd like that best._

And oh.

Louis felt the tips of his ears warm. OK, then.

He scrolled down to find a block of text, just ramblings about not getting to go home for as long as he'd hoped, because his family was traveling to the States, and he was too poor to take off work that long.

Louis could commiserate. He was taking four classes and working part-time at the library. He'd probably not get to go home for longer than a few days, if he was lucky.

He cleared his throat and hit the reblog button. Absolutely none of his friends knew he had a Tumblr. He rarely used it, but it came in handy as a research tool sometimes. OK, a boredom buster. Whatever.

He typed in a caption: _know how ya feel, mate!!! Sucks being a broke uni student, but it'll pay off in the end! _and clicked reblog.__

__He looked toward Harry, who straightened in his seat. A small smile appeared, and Louis couldn't help but smile with him. A minute later, his phone beeped with a Tumblr notification, a new message._ _

___Hey, thanks! Nice to know I'm not alone in misery! Have a good one :)_ _ _

__Louis was so fucked._ _

____

* * *

_He spoke to me! It was just a hello, but it was ... progress? I wish I wasn't so bloody shy._

* * *

_His eyes are beautiful, and yet, beautiful doesn't even begin to describe them. They're blue, like the sky when I used to lay out during the summer and watch wisps of clouds drift by. I wish I could see them up close, because I have a feeling I might be able to find the words then._

_Probably not._

* * *

"Lou?"

"Hm?"

"Do you think you could take your eyes off your phone for one bloody minute to help me find a book?"

"Huh?" Louis glanced up to find Zayn standing in front of him. "What?"

Zayn rolled his eyes. "Honestly, mate. You're always on that thing these days. You got a boyfriend or summat?"

"What? No! Of course ... no." Louis blushed and shoved his phone in his pocket. "Did you need help?"

Zayn sighed. "I need to find this book?" He held out the synopsis from the latest art history project. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Of course not," Louis said, patting Zayn's shoulder over the counter. He hopped off the stool and walked around, heading for the shelves, humming as he did so.

"You're humming."

"What?"

"I said you're humming. You never hum."

Louis shrugged. "So? A guy can't hum?"

"You totally have a boyfriend, don't you? What's his name? Why didn't you say anything?"

Louis whipped around, holding up a finger. " _Why?_ This is why! You always interrogate me."

Zayn held up his hands. "Nothing wrong with wanting to see my oldest mate happy, is there?"

"Thank you," Louis said, smirking.

* * *

_He has a boyfriend. :(  
Of course he does. I'm an idiot.  
A guy as beautiful as him probably doesn't stay single long._

Louis frowned as he read Harry's latest post. He felt a bit guilty for reading the intimate thoughts of someone he knew. Or rather, saw almost daily. But that was the beauty of the internet, wasn't it? Small world and all that.

Except Louis had actually sought out his blog, and he kind of wished he hadn't.

Especially when he found himself sending Harry another message: _Mate, there are a lot of guys out there, ya know? Some may even be better. And judging by how you speak of someone you care for, he's going to be pretty fucking lucky, if ya ask me. Hang in there!_

He didn't think twice before sending. Then, he pushed it out of his mind and went back to shelving books in the history section, which incidentally, is where he ran across Harry sitting on the floor.

"Oh, hi there," he said, looking down at the curly-haired lad, who had his laptop open on his crossed legs.

Harry's eyes widened as he looked up at Louis. "Hi. Er, Louis. Am I in the way?"

Louis smiled, picking up a book from the cart. "Nope. Stay put, yeah? Just gonna reach over ya here." Louis felt his shoe brush Harry's thigh. He heard the sharp intake of air, and it was nearly enough to make Louis fall over the younger boy, but he quickly shoved the book onto the shelf and stepped back.

"Alright?" he asked Harry.

Harry had his head down, furiously typing. "Yep. All good."

Louis glanced at the screen. He was on Tumblr, of course. Louis wondered if he was ever not on Tumblr.

"Well, guess I'll see ya 'round, Hazza."

Harry looked up at him, green eyes round and his pink lips parted. Louis let himself wonder how they'd feel against his own, if they were as soft as they looked, but pushed it out of mind.

"Yeah, uh. See you," Harry murmured, quickly looking back at the screen.

Louis pulled the cart behind him and moved around the corner, rolling his eyes. He made quick work of the remaining stacks and clocked out. The December chill was deepening, and he shivered, tightening his scarf. As he made his way across the quad, he pulled his phone out and went right to Tumblr.

Harry's last post was a black and white photo, and Louis recognized it right away as their stats classroom. It was empty, and Harry was standing at the bottom, where the professor always paced. His camera captured every row in perfect symmetrical fashion. Louis had to read the caption three times before he released a breath of air, visible in the chill.

_He sits there, and I sit there. I think of him, but he doesn't think of me. Four hours a week of pure torture. I wonder what he'd think if he knew that while I should be taking notes, I'm writing words about him._

Louis had stopped walking, standing in the middle of dead grass, breath puffing out of his lips. Someone in their stats class has Harry tangled up and doesn't even know it. Louis was almost offended for him.

Just then, the message notification came up, and Louis almost dropped the phone as he scrambled to check it.

_Hiii. Well, thanks, I guess? Sucks because I have to see him all the time. I can't even escape to the library like I used to! He actually just bumped into me. Like, literally. I wanted to scream. Ha ha. Hope you're doing well, donnymate. What's your real name? I mean, it's OK if you don't want to tell me. But I feel like we 'talk' enough that we can exchange names. I'm Harry :)_

Louis was so, so fucked.

* * *

"Nick, I need help."

"Am I gonna get another latte out of it?" Nick asked, flipping through a book at the library counter.

"I'll buy you a fucking year's worth, mate."

Nick grinned, slamming the book shut. "I'm all ears."

"Well, maybe not a year. Because I work in a library. But definitely a few."

"Well."

"Nick. Please."

Louis glanced around, then leaned forward. "Switch desks with me for the rest of the semester, yeah?"

Nick narrowed his eyes. "Why?"

"Are you seriously going to question it? Why are you so-" He paused, a light going off. "Did you bump into Harry here yesterday?"

"Harry who?"

Louis blew out a breath of disbelief. "Harry who... Styles. Harry Styles! You know, sits in front of you in stats?"

"Oh. Dimples! No. I generally avoid this place when I can help it."

Definitely not Nick, then.

Louis waved his hand. "Anyway, the why isn't important. Will you do it?"

Nick sighed. "I suppose."

"Great, awesome. I'll just buy you a gift card, yeah?"

"I'll expect it tomorrow, mate."

* * *

_I'm sorry I asked for your name. You don't have to tell me. Of course not. I miss hearing from you, though! Write back?_

* * *

Louis slipped Nick the gift card as he passed by Nick's new desk on the way to his own. He sat down and got busy pulling out his books, absolutely not watching the door.

Harry came in right behind the professor. He merely glanced at Louis as he walked to his desk, quietly taking his seat. It wasn't but another minute before he pulled out his laptop, and Louis discreetly edged his desk to the left a little for a better view.

Louis was thankful no one was sitting behind him as he logged into Tumblr and went to reply to Harry.

_Hi,_ he typed. _Sorry I didn't reply. I didn't mean to worry you. I have a bit of trouble myself. With a guy, I mean. See, he doesn't know I know that he likes me, and I kind of like him, too? Even though we've barely spoken to each other. How do you suggest I fix that?_

He watched as the icon popped up on Harry's screen. Harry didn't hesitate to click on it. Louis watched his profile, the way his lips moved as he read the message. Harry sat back, a little laugh escaping. Then, he started typing.

Louis was pointedly not watching him, instead staring at the board where Dr. Snead was writing, writing, writing.

Harry was taking a really long time, and Louis was about to lean forward, his patience wearing out, when Harry suddenly glanced over his shoulder, meeting Louis' gaze.

Louis tore his eyes away and sat back, flipping the page in his book. Out of his peripheral, he saw Harry slowly turn back to his computer, and a couple seconds later, Louis' phone lit up.

_I would say tell him, but that would make me a hypocrite, wouldn't it? I'm the worst. Anyway, how do you know he likes you? Like, for sure? Because if you're really sure he does, you should tell him. If I thought a guy I liked might like me back, I wouldn't hesitate. You've probably wasted a lot of time already. Don't waste anymore. :)_

* * *

Louis waited until the classroom cleared out before he picked up his bag and made his way to the podium. He dropped his bag and moved to the middle, standing where Harry had. He swallowed and held up his phone, taking a photo that mirrored Harry's.

He fiddled with the aesthetic, turning the photo into black and white, then logged onto Tumblr to make a photo post.

_This is the room where I found you. I'm still here. Come find me._

* * *

Louis was just about to give up. He had been sitting in the first row for what felt like years, but was probably closer to a half hour. At this point, he might still be sitting there two hours later when the next class shuffled in. He finished off his stats assignment - a bit surprised he actually knew what he was doing - and had just started reading about art during the Trojan War when the door slammed open and Harry rushed in, nearly tripping over his feet. He righted himself and froze, eyes wide.

Louis inhaled and got to his feet.

"You- you're-" Harry laughed, slapping a hand over his mouth. "Donnymate?"

Louis chuckled, completely endeared. "In the flesh." He cleared his throat and stepped forward, holding out a hand. "Louis Tomlinson."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading. I wasn't sure about posting since I'm technically on a fandom break, but what the hell. Slow day at work and all.


	13. Prompt 13: Always and always

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: "So, how should we break the news that they're going to have a new baby brother or sister?"

Harry propped his chin on Louis' naked chest, looking up at his husband's face. Louis was wearing his red glasses, the ones Harry loved best, as he read one of his students' essays.

"Lou?"

"Hm?"

Harry took a deep breath and ran a finger along Louis' collarbone. He was silent long enough, trying to gather his approach to what he wanted to say, that Louis lowered the paper and looked at his husband of eight years.

"What's on your mind, babe?"

And Harry. He couldn't ever imagine a day where the softness of Louis' voice or the way he called him 'babe' would get old. As it was, his mind was always a constant loop of his husband and the life they'd built. Sometimes he'd space out at the worst times, like when he should be fine-tuning a song with Niall, who would just roll his eyes and call for a break, so Harry could _"go wank or summat, Jesus Christ. You've been married for years. Haven't left the fuckin' honeymoon stage!"_

"Hazza, love. You're making me nervous." Louis chuckled, pulling his glasses off. He set them on the nightstand, dropped the paper on a stack below the bed, and made to pull Harry up, wrapping his arms around him. "Talk to me."

Harry cleared his throat. "It's just, um. Lizzie's almost six, and. You know, we talked about having more than one." He lifted his eyes from the words scrawled on Louis' chest to find Louis looking at him. Even after all this time, he thought he was pretty good at reading Louis' expressions. Had been since the night they met at a swanky album release party, when Louis trailed along with his best mate Liam, who happened to be good friends with Niall. It only took one look at Louis for Harry to know he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him, because Louis had looked at him from across the room, and his whole face broke into a smile.

"Ah, baby talk," Louis said, chuckling. "C'mere, love." He tugged on Harry's shoulder, and Harry pushed himself up until he was straddling Louis. He smiled, running his hands across Louis' abs, which fluttered under his touch. "What do you want? Another girl?" Louis' hands found their way to Harry's hips, thumbs pressing into his skin.

Harry shrugged. "I'm thinking a boy. Like, I saw this cute bedroom suite when I was shopping with Gems, and..." He paused. "Is it stupid to want a baby just because I saw that?"

Louis grinned, and Harry's heart swelled, as it tended to do whenever those crinkles appeared next to Louis' eyes.

"No, babe. That's not stupid. It's very important that a baby have the latest in nursery fashion."

Harry huffed, slapping Louis' chest. "Heyyyy. Don't make fun."

Louis squeezed Harry's hips. "I'm not, baby. Of course not. What sort of timeline are you thinking?"

"Well, I guess- I think that depends on Lottie, don't you? I mean, she might not be ready."

Louis ran his hands down Harry's thighs. "Christ, I love your legs."

Harry's brows knit together and he laid his hands atop Louis', stopping his movement. "Lou."

"I'll talk to her, Haz. Yeah? I'm meeting her for lunch Friday."

"Oh." Harry smiled, entwining their fingers. "Really?"

Louis blinked slowly, lips parted. "Did you- you didn't think I'd turn you down, did you?"

When Harry hesitated, Louis tugged on his hands, pulling his husband down to kiss him. "Wish I could put our baby in you," he breathed, pressing kisses along his jaw. "You'd like that, wouldn't you?"

Harry whimpered, tilting his head to allow Louis access to that soft spot beneath his jaw. "You know I would," Harry whispered.

"Well, until a miracle of science occurs," Louis said, laughing as he smacked Harry's arse. "I'll remind my sister she promised to carry our next one."

They fell silent, listening for any movement from the hallway. Lizzie sometimes had a habit of coming to their bedroom not long after she was supposed to have fallen asleep. Needless to say, they were apt to be more careful about making love when little eyes could walk into the room at any moment.

"So..." Louis said, voice low as he pushed his fingers into the waistband of Harry's briefs.

"So." Harry responded. "Wanna practice?"

"You're ridiculous," Louis replied. "Dunno why I love you."

Harry gasped, sitting up. He laid a hand on his chest, batting his eyelashes. "Louis Tomlinson loves me." He circled his hips slowly, causing Louis to groan.

"Fuck. Just- yeah, I love you. I love you an absurd amount, and I'll give you all the babies you want, Harry Tomlinson."

Harry leaned down again, pressing his forehead against Louis'. "I love you a lot, too."

"Yeah?"

"Thought it was clear," Harry said, trailing his lips down Louis' jaw. "But I suppose I'll have to show you."

Louis writhed beneath him, giggling breathlessly. "Show me then."

* * *

"Daddy?"

"Yes, sweetpea?"

"Do you like snakes?"

Harry paused his whipping of the brownie batter and looked over at Lizzie, who was sitting at the table, her little legs swinging back and forth as she colored.

"I can't say I do, no," Harry replied. "Why?"

"I heard Uncle Ni tell Pa that his snake hasn't been touched in awhile."

Harry cleared his throat, jaw clenched. He really needed to remind Niall that just because Lizzie was too young to know innuendos didn't mean she wouldn't go around repeating them.

"Oh. Well. Um."

"I didn't know Uncle Ni had a snake! I've never seen it!" she exclaimed, looking up at him, her blue eyes wide.

God, she looked so much like Louis, and Harry's heart ached with an abundance of love every time he looked at her.

Harry chuckled and decided to change the subject. "It's time to pour. Come help me!"

She gave a cheer and slid onto the floor, her little sock-clad feet carrying her to Harry. He picked her up and sat her on the counter. "Alright, you want to pour or spoon?"

She thought for a moment before nodding. "Pour, please!"

He pressed a kiss to her head. "Love your manners, my pretty girl. They're very important."

"I know. Thank you," she said, taking the bowl from him. She poked her tongue out as she tipped it over the pan. Harry kept his hands close, ready to catch it should she lose her grip. "Can I spoon, too?"

Harry laughed. "Of course, my love."

He took the bowl and handed her the spoon, watching as she diligently made work of scraping all the batter out of the bowl. Then, she looked at him, a twinkle in her eye, and promptly swiped her tongue across the spoon. _Yep, just like her Pa._

"Hey! You got to pour and spoon. I should've gotten the lick!" Harry said, pouting.

Lizzie frowned, and this is where the Styles' genes came into play, her mouth turning into a big pout. Louis said he could never resist Harry when he turned it on, and Harry now knew what he meant.

"OK, sweetheart. It's alright. I'll get to eat a brownie. That's even better!"

After she licked the spoon clean, she dropped it in the utensil basket of the dishwasher. Harry looked after her fondly as she skipped back to the table and her coloring book.

By the time Louis came home that afternoon, Harry and Lizzie were curled up in front of the telly watching "Little Rascals." Louis leaned over the sofa, pecking the tops of their heads.

"How are my two favorite darlings?"

"Good. Brownies on the counter," Harry said, his tummy flipping. It was Friday, the day that Louis was supposed to talk to Lottie about expanding their family. He looked back at his husband as Louis silently walked away. "Back in a minute," Harry whispered, kissing his daughter's cheek before he stood.

He found Louis standing at the counter, a brownie in one hand as he poured some milk into a glass. Harry stepped up behind him, propping his chin on Louis' shoulder. "How was your day?"

"It was interesting," Louis replied, snapping the milk shut.

"In a good way?" Harry asked, hoping to spur on the conversation.

Louis took a sip of milk before he turned, a smile on his face. "You're beautiful. I love you. Let's have a baby, yeah?"

Harry clapped his hands over his mouth, tears springing to his eyes. "Really?" he asked, voice muffled. "She said yes?"

Louis nodded, winding his arms around Harry's waist. "She said yes, and wanted to know what took so long."

"What'd you tell her?" Harry backed Louis against the counter, caging him in.

Louis shrugged. "Just that, you know, we thought she and Brett might like to have a couple of their own before we came at her to have ours. I mean, we did say that, didn't we?"

Harry brushed his fingers through Louis' soft fringe. "Yeah, we did."

"So, when should we do this?" Louis asked. "When exactly are you due in L.A.?"

"End of the month," Harry answered, his mind racing. "We'll have to make appointments soon, and I'll need to make sure my schedule keeps me in London for the next several months after I finish up in the States."

"Right, OK." Louis cleared his throat. "By this time next year, then. Yeah? We'll have our little one. If things work out."

Harry kissed him, and would have kept kissing him had a little throat not cleared from behind them.

"Excuse me," Lizzie said.

They laughed as they pulled apart, facing their little girl. "Yes, darling?" Louis said, kneeling. "Come give your Pa a hug."

She smiled, racing forward to throw her arms around him.

"Who loves you most?" Louis whispered, and Harry's heart clenched.

"You and Daddy do," she replied. "Always and always."

"That's right, always and always," Louis echoed. He glanced back at Harry and winked.

* * *

"So, how should we tell Lizzie?" Harry asked that night, draped across his husband's naked body.

Louis ran his fingers through Harry's damp hair. "Best just to be honest, innit. She loves babies. Look how she is with them."

And that was the truth. Lizzie already acted like a big sister to Gemma's toddler and Liam's newborn. She fussed over them and had conversations with them, albeit a little one-sided, and generally treated them like they were her own siblings.

"Yeah, but. I dunno. What if she thinks she's being replaced?"

"We'll have to make sure she knows she isn't. She's a smart girl, Hazza. Don't worry."

The next day, the little family made a day of it. Louis called it "Lizzie's Pre-Birthday Celebration," even though her birthday was still two months away. They went to the zoo and had ice cream, then played some mini golf and fed the ducks in the lake.

It was as the sun was setting and they were sprawled out on a blanket, listening to Mozart from a nearby concert band, that Harry and Louis shared a look, and Louis nodded.

"Sweetheart, we'd like to tell you something," Harry began, pulling Lizzie into his lap.

"Is it something good?" Lizzie asked, gripping his hands in her tiny ones.

"Yes, it's very good."

Louis sat up, facing them, and laid his hands on Lizzie's legs. "You love babies, don't you?"

"I love babies!" Lizzie said, giggling. "They smell funny, though. But they're so cute." She fish-mouthed for a moment, her blue eyes growing wide. "Are we gonna have a baby?"

Harry's heart exploded. "Yes, my love. We're gonna have a baby. You'll have a little brother or sister."

Lizzie clapped excitedly, then pressed her hands to Louis' wet cheeks. "Don't cry, Pa. This is happy days!"

Louis laughed, and Harry wiped his own eyes.

"Happy days," Harry murmured. "Rubbing off on her, you are."

Louis smirked, reaching forward to thumb a tear off Harry's cheek. "Happy days, indeed."

* * *

"And then the little doggy went 'woof, woof'! And the kitty said 'meow, meow!'"

Harry nuzzled against Louis, the pair of them watching Lizzie holding her little brother Sam in her lap, letting the toddler flip the pages of a giant picture book.

"Hard to believe she's almost nine," Louis said. "Seems like we were only bringing her home from the hospital yesterday."

Harry hummed, squeezing Louis' hand. "And here we worried about their age difference."

Louis looked affronted. "Pardon me, you worried. I did not."

Harry tsked. "If you say so."

"I do say so, thank you very much."

Sam giggled at the particularly amazing sound effect of a train, and Louis and Harry laughed.

"Darlings, come sit with us," Louis said, holding out his arm.

"C'mon, Sammy." She stood and grabbed his hand, helping him walk to the sofa. She then picked him up, making an "umpf" sound. "Gosh, he's getting so heavy!"

"Hm, someday he'll be able to carry you around," Louis said, grinning as Lizzie deposited Sam on his lap. She climbed in between her Daddy and Pa, making herself comfortable.

"Do you think we'll have another?" she asked after a minute of silence.

Two sets of eyes moved from the footie game on TV to look at each other.

"Should we?" Louis asked, grinning.

"I think we should," Lizzie commented. "I'd like to have a sister, I think."

"Well, you know we can't exactly control that," Harry replied, patting her knee.

Louis pressed the mute button on the remote, turning as best he could with a twenty-six-pound child in his lap. "Well, I mean. Gemma probably won't want to carry another, will she? And Lottie might not. So, we could- um, we could adopt? A little girl. Like we talked about before all this."

Harry didn't take much convincing, of course. Less than a year later, they welcomed Anne Louise Tomlinson home to complete their family.

(Nearly fifteen years later, Samuel Edward Tomlinson was able to carry his protesting big sister around at their dads' twenty-fifth wedding celebration.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooo this is the last prompt given to me by my lovely bestie C. I might add to it in the future. We'll see.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much for reading! <3


	14. Prompt 14: My saviour

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: “it’s the middle of the night and i’m walking home alone in the dark and there’s this guy following me and he’s starting to gain on me and i found this phone booth with a lock on the door and i tried to call my best friend but my hands were shaking so badly i accidentally dialed the wrong number and i don’t even know you but help me”

Louis flipped off the light at his checkout line as the last customer walked away.

"Fuck's sake, Niall," he grumbled, seeing the Irish lad struggling to check _and_ bag. And he still had two customers waiting.

"I can help the next person in line!" Louis called, and there seemed to be an unspoken battle between the remaining two customers before one of them finally hurried over.

"Thanks so much," the girl said, purple hair hanging down to her shoulders. "Kind of in a rush."

"Yeah, no problem," Louis replied, absolutely _not_ judging her selection of condoms as he scanned them. "Is this all, then? No gum or anything?"

"Um." She paused digging in her bag and flicked her eyes to the rack of sweets before grabbing a pack of breath mints. "That'll do."

_Cool Mint_ , Louis thought with a smirk. _Someone's trying a bit too hard._

"Alright, that's thirty-two pounds even."

"Thirty-two-" She lifted her eyes from her wallet, then laughed. "Fuck me. Cannot believe I just spent thirty-two pounds on condoms I'm not even gonna use."

Louis watched her swipe her card. "Think we've all been there," he commented with a chuckle.

Her eyes swept across his face, and she grinned. "You're takin' the piss, aren't ya? Tryin' to make me feel better?"

"No! I swear, honest!" He lifted his hands, laughing.

"Yeah, alright, mate." She took the receipt he held out, rolling her eyes. "Glad I'm not the only one, then. Have a good night, yeah?"

"I'd say you too, but."

She snorted and waved as she walked off.

When Louis looked back to Niall's lane, it was finally clear and he sighed, slumping against the counter as he made to close out the register.

"Thanks, Louis!" Niall called.

"Yeah, yeah." Louis waved a hand over his head and grabbed the till, heading for the office.

It was nearly midnight before they cleared the store and clocked out.

"Let's grab a pint!" Niall said, slinging an arm around Louis' shoulders as they walked to the exit.

"Nah, can't tonight. Exam in the morning."

"Oh. Well, do ya need a lift?"

Louis shook his head, zipping up his jacket. "I'm good, mate. Thanks. I kinda enjoy the walk, ya know?"

"Alright. See ya tomorrow!"

Louis watched until Niall got to his car across the street, then lit up a fag, groaning as the nicotine filled his lungs. They'd been busier than usual for a Tuesday night, and Louis had missed his smoke break, which meant he'd gone a full six hours without.

"Those things'll kill ya," a gruff voice said behind him.

Louis whipped his head around to see a massive hulk of a man. "Christ," he mumbled. "Yeah, mate, but we all gotta die eventually. Have a good night."

He pulled his phone out of his pocket as he took off down Oxford Street. The battery was dead, because of course. "Well, fuck."

The walk from Sainsbury's to his flat by the uni was about a mile, and he generally used the time to respond to messages when he was stuck at crossings. (Sure, he loved his fags and took a chance on the whole cancer thing, but there was no way in hell he'd not use a crossing. Getting hit by a lorry was not on the bucket list.)

He shoved the phone back in his pocket and waited for the light to change. A shadow fell over him and he nearly screamed when he glanced back to see Hulk standing behind him. The man was pretending not to watch him, and Louis felt his skin crawl. He instinctively stepped closer to a group of people on the kerb and silently begged the light to change.

When it finally did, he pushed past them and hurried on, not bothering to so much as glance into lit-up shops as he passed by. Sometimes, he'd stop and look at the displays, the design geek in him coming out, but not tonight. He bustled ahead, hoping it was just a coincidence Hulk was at the same crossing.

The tall buildings loomed overhead, and Louis slowed his pace a little, glancing behind him. Aside from the usual late-night stragglers, the streets were quiet and getting darker as the city fell asleep. By the time he reached the next crossing, he let out a sigh of relief and stubbed out the fag, dropping it in a rubbish bin. Movement caught his eye and he looked toward the shadows.

"Right, you're just a paranoid git," he said to himself, staring at the light.

But when he crossed the road and heard steps behind him, he saw Hulk again, keeping pace, and Louis knew with certainty he was being followed. He hadn't pissed off anyone (that he could recall) and, OK, so maybe he could admit to being a flirt and all, but he'd certainly remember flirting with a man who looked like he should be an Olympic weightlifter.

Plus, not Louis' type - _at all_.

And generally speaking, Louis had a pretty good radar for creeps, and this guy was pinging it really hard right about now.

He sped up and decided he should try to lose the guy. There weren't any shops or restaurants open to duck into, so all he could do was turn the corner and try to get ahead of him, even if it meant going blocks out of his way. He took the next left, practically jogging now, and didn't even bother to wait at the crossing. He looked both ways and ran ahead, slowing only to look behind him and see the guy keeping up.

"Oh fuck. What the fuck?"

He ran around another corner, and yeah, maybe he should stop smoking and work out a little. It had been _ages_ since he'd played footie. His chest was tight and he had a stitch in his side as he ran until he spied a phone booth. He quickly ducked inside and sighed with relief when he saw it had a lock. He flicked it into place and dug around in his pocket until he had the coins he needed, but his hands were shaking so bad he dropped them, and when he knelt to pick them up, he spied Hulk standing across the street on the corner.

"Fuck fuck fuck," Louis chanted. "Come the fuck on, would you," he mumbled, sliding the coins into the phone. His eyes flitted between the keypad and the stranger as he shakily dialed Zayn's number.

"'m? 'ello?" a deep, sleepy voice answered.

"Uh." Louis paused, brows knitting together. "Er, Zayn?"

"Wrong number, mate,” the voice slurred.

"Fuck! Wait, don't hang up, _please_ ,” Louis said quickly. “I don't have money for another call and I need help."

There was a pause, and then, "What's wrong?"

"I'm stuck in a phone booth off- fuck, I don't even know. I was on Oxford and I was being followed, yeah? Some huge bloke was following me, and he's like, staring at me right now. _Fuck_."

"Wait. Hang on, mate."

Louis heard a soft rustle, and it was obvious the guy was in bed. Louis couldn't be bothered to care at the moment, since Hulk was still standing on the corner, eyes on him.

"Hello? Fuck, don't hang up on me," Louis said into the air.

"'m not. Had to get dressed," the voice said. "Right, can you tell me your route?"

"Um, yeah, yeah." Louis recounted his steps, and by some miracle, the guy seemed to know the general area he was in.

"I'll stay on the phone with you, alright?" he told Louis, and Louis slumped against the wall.

"Thank you, um..."

"Harry. I'm Harry."

"Harry. Thank you. My name's Louis."

"Well, Louis. I'd say it's nice to meet you, but I think we'd have preferred it to be under any other circumstance."

Louis chuckled, feeling the tension leave his body. Harry's voice was soft and kind, putting him at ease.

"So, while I walk, tell me about yourself," Harry said, and it was obvious he was trying to distract Louis, which Louis was thankful for.

"Uh, well. I'm twenty-two, in my last year of fashion design at uni. I'm from Doncaster-"

"Aha, Yorkshire. Thought so," Harry said, chuckling. "I'm from Cheshire."

"Oi, neighbors innit!" Louis said, grinning.

"Just about. Why fashion?"

"I just love creating, you know? I used to help my gran sew, and it just kind of, I dunno. It was fascinating, creating things that people wear and feel good in."

"That's lovely, Lou."

Louis smiled, fiddling with the phone cord. "What about you, Harry of Cheshire?"

"I'm just a boring law student," he replied. "And not very fashionable, I'm afraid."

"Hey, we've all got our own style. I'm sure yours suits you."

"Might do. Or maybe you could give me some tips, yeah?"

"Yeah, maybe." He looked back toward Hulk, who had moved a tad closer. "Fuck."

"Lou? What's wrong?"

"He's closer."

"Shit, hang on. I'm like three blocks away. Is there, like- do you think if you made some noise, it might scare him away?"

"Piss off the neighbors, more like," Louis responded, but that was stupid, because there weren't any flats on this block, and Louis would just be screaming into thin air.

"Worth a shot anyway. Tell him the police are coming."

Louis cleared his throat. "Yeah, yeah. Alright. Um." He unlocked the door and pulled it open wide enough to stick out his head. "Hey! You! Leave me the fuck alone, yeah? Go away! The-" He paused. "My boyfriend's on the way, and he's very, very big! _Very big_! Bigger than you!" He slammed the door and locked it, and when he put the phone back to his ear, Harry was laughing.

"I panicked," Louis confessed.

"Yeah, hey. That'll scare 'im off for sure."

"Piss off, Harry," Louis said, chuckling.

Hulk was still standing there, hands shoved in his pockets.

"Yeah, he didn't budge," Louis said with a frustrated sigh.

"I'm headed down Chester."

And OK, he was moving fast. He also didn't sound winded, which Louis spent approximately two seconds dwelling on.

"Oh, thank fuck. You're close."

"Another block. I think I see him. Jesus fuck. He's _huge_."

"I told you! Shit, be careful-"

"Hey!" Harry yelled, and Louis watched as Hulk swiveled his head, glancing down the street. Harry came into view, or rather, his silhouette, and Louis held his breath. It was hard to get a good look at him. All he could see were two figures, one much larger than the other, and they both started walking toward the booth. Puzzled, Louis hung up the phone.

"What the fuck," Louis said as he unlocked the door. He poked his head out, eyes wide when he finally got a look at Harry. "What the fuck," he muttered. "What the hell!" he yelled out at them.

"Um, yeah. So, like. Go on, then." Harry motioned at Hulk, who wore a sheepish grin.

"Your mates paid me some money to put a good scare into ya. Sorry, mate."

Louis blinked. Harry let out a laugh, then covered his mouth when Louis narrowed his eyes at him.

"What. The. Fuck." Louis forced the door open and stepped out. "Which ones?" he asked Hulk.

"They said you'd ask that. I'm supposed to say you should know which ones." He shrugged. "Soz, mate. Guess it worked, yeah?” His not-so-subtly glanced at Harry. “Anyway, I gotta go." And with that, he turned and walked away.

Harry scratched his head as the giant walked off, whistling as he went.

"So. That happened," Harry said, mirth in his voice.

Louis was speechless, staring into the shadows where the man disappeared to. He looked at Harry, who was tall and lanky, with a mop of dark curls and sleepy green eyes. When Harry's mouth slowly turned up into a smile, and the dimples appeared, Louis started laughing. It was a full-on belly laugh, and he doubled over with it, clutching his stomach.

"Oh my Christ. Fuck. I can't believe I- you- he-" He was waving his hands frantically, gasping for breath.

"Deep breaths, Lou," Harry said, laughing with him.

"You wouldn't hurt a fucking fly!" Louis shouted. "And I thought- he could've murdered you! And then me! Oh my God."

"Heyyyy." Harry frowned. "I could've handled him."

Louis laughed harder. "Fuck. I'm gonna kill Zayn."

"Oh, so. You actually do know who put him up to it, then?"

Louis knelt, trying to catch his breath. "Yeah, had to be. We've been in a friendly competition of one-upping each other for weeks now."

"Hate to break it to you, but I don't think this can be one-upped."

"Oh, no," Louis said, standing. He waved his finger around, wiggling his brows. "Trust me. I can do it."

Harry's eyes appraised him, and he smiled. "Somehow, I don't doubt that." He took a step back. "I should- you know. It's late, and I've got class in the morning. So."

"Right, yeah. Well, thanks. It was nice of you to rescue me. Or whatever."

"Maybe I'll see you around campus?" Harry asked, taking small steps backward.

"Maybe." Louis smiled at him, and he decided that yeah, he'd certainly like to see Harry, but maybe not on campus. "Hey, Harry?"

"Yeah?"

"Let me buy you a coffee or something sometime, alright?"

Harry grinned, suddenly moving toward him with his phone held out. "Yeah, I'd like that. Give me your number?"

Louis punched it in, saving it under "Louis" and adding the phone booth emoji, which made Harry cackle.

"Alright, I'll be in touch, Lou."

Louis smiled, nodding at him. "Looking forward to it."

They were half a block away from each other when Harry called out his name. "Louis!"

Louis froze, spinning around. "Yeah?"

"Maybe I should walk you home."

"Oi! Do I look I need a bodyguard?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I found this one in a folder. Totally forgot about it. Anyway, if anyone has a prompt, let me know and I'll see what I can do with it. :)
> 
> Thanks for reading, and to C for the prompt and for being a cheerleader!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting Larry fic after years in Twi-land. Eeep!
> 
> Thank you for reading :)


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